Melt the Mistletoe
by Sasukeluva 4eva
Summary: Deck the halls with cheer and jest, and join us in love's perpetual fest. Post-War. Canon. 29: Memory.
1. Wish

**Author's Note:**_ I figure that I should hop on the ship bandwagon, so what better place to start than with a Christmas Anthology? I've got the family feels, after all._

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**Rating:** T (for the meantime)

**Categories:** Family, Romance

**Characters:** Uchiha Sasuke x Uchiha Sakura (eventual Uchiha Sarada)

_**Summary:** Deck the halls with cheer and jest, and join us in love's perpetual fest._

**Disclaimer: This applies to all future chapters. IDNON, BIDHTOS! That is all.**

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**S**_a_s**u**ke**l**_u_va **4**_e_v**a** _p_r**e**se**n**_t_s**;**

_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

A Christmas Anthology

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**One:** Wish

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_**Characters: Team 7**_

_**Categories: Hurt/Comfort, Romance**_

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It had been five hundred and forty-seven days since Sakura had bid Sasuke adieu. Eighteen months, eighty-four weeks, thirteen thousand, one hundred and twenty-eight hours, seven hundred and eighty-seven thousand, six hundred and eighty minutes had passed without his company. Not that she was counting, not at all! She had other priorities to tend to; duties at the hospital to perform, training both her mind and her body to near-perfect resilience, and fortifying herself within her intellectual endeavours.

So much to do, so little time to think about time. Which passed much too slowly for her liking. Never had a week felt like an eternity until she had become aware that Sasuke was potentially homeward bound, and as much as she tried to deny it, her anticipation was steadily mounting.

Amidst the ever teeming crowds of civilians and shinobi alike, the pink haired medic found herself on her toes, scanning her surroundings with her peripherals for any sign of that familiar and beloved black scruff of hair. Searching almost desperately for those dark, expressive eyes that retained the intensity of his youth even now, as they had succumbed to the world weariness that utmost devastation and despair had instilled within him.

She would inflate with excitement when she thought that she had caught a glimpse of him, but when she nudged her way through the bustling bystanders peddling their wares or just meandering amidst the fray, her face would visibly deflate when she realised that she had latched onto an unseemly stranger. Disappointment filled her tightly constricting chest, but she would bear it with a brave smile every time, and apologise profusely for her mistaken identification.

And just when she thought that her hopes were all unfounded, she would catch the faintest flicker out of the corner of her eye; of a turned back, cloaked in ebony garbs emblazoned with a splatter of red and white, quickly melding seamlessly into nothingness the longer her frantic eyes sought out his own. It had to be a mirage. There was no other explanation for these inexplicable sightings. Her yearning had driven her to the very brink of impatient insanity, and she needed to get a grip before she completely lost herself to disillusionment.

He would come home when he was ready to. It was as simple as that. And when that time finally came, she would be there; hands gripping her shirt with skin stretched tautly over bone and blood and pulse thundering beneath her breast, cheeks flushed with nerves and a bright smile tugging at the corners of her lips at the sight of him on the horizon.

Yes, he would come home soon.

Fervently, for another eight months, Sakura wished upon the shooting stars sparkling throughout the cosmos that he would return to them all. To her.

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It was on a bitter, frigidly cold winter's night that Sakura found herself being shoved to and fro amidst the streets of Konohagakure, packed with pedestrians celebrating the festive season. People everywhere, as far as the eye could see, were lined up outside of shops and market stalls, bargaining with the owners down to the tooth and nail for a more reasonable price that would not be, for it was Christmas, and as the saying goes, first come; first served.

If you leave your shopping to the last minute, then inevitably you must suffer the consequences of your ignorance or lackadaisical attitude.

Fortunately for the pinkette, she had thought ahead, and began her seasonal gifting two months beforehand. Now she could kick back and fully relish in the time leading up to the end of the year. _Unfortunately_, one blonde knucklehead had not been so forthright in his preparation, and was thus the central cause of Sakura being shoved around like a sack of potatoes in the tumultuous embrace of the ocean.

He had called her in sheer panic earlier that day, sweating bullets no doubt over his general thoughtlessness; although characteristic of him, it still seemed unhabitually idiotic for the blonde to have forgotten that the one day of the year where romance was one hundred percent _expected_ was fast approaching.

He had particular reason for his stress, however. Having been in a fruitful and fast developing relationship with the ever so lovely Hyuuga heiress for the past year and a half, it was naturally a given that he was to present her with something especially extravagant and meaningful. To her great astonishment, they were the very words that Naruto had not so eloquently screamed into the headset of his phone, along with a colourful string of expletives that would have made any normal person's ears bleed had they been on the receiving end of his frenzy.

''She deserves the very best, Sakura-chan, but I just don't know what I should get her! I don't even know where to begin, 'tebayo!'' He spewed the words out in one hasty exhalation, and Sakura was sure that he was turning purple from the lack of oxygen getting to his brain between his ranting and hyperventilating. ''So I thought, well, maybe you'd, y'know, help an old buddy out? You're a girl and stuff, so you know what kind of thing girl's like to be given on days like this right?''

She rolled her eyes, leaning back against the counter in her apartment's small, but functional kitchenette, cradling the phone between her shoulder and neck as she rested her palms on the smooth marble surface of the bench. He could be so smart sometimes, but this was one of the more frequent episodes he displayed when not an ounce of thought or common sense inhabited his mind.

''You do realise that the gift itself doesn't need to be expensive or even tangible, right? I mean, this is Hinata we're talking about here. She embodies the meaning of relatively inexpensive and honest to a fault; she wouldn't want you to go beyond your means, because she loves you for you, and doesn't want anything more than your love in turn. Why is that so hard for you to see, you jackass?'' Sakura exclaimed with an exasperated sigh, reaching up to curl the phone's cord around her fidgety fingers.

This was meant to be her one day off until Christmas Eve, and she intended on enjoying it in the peace of her own home. Or she had, until Naruto ripped the floor out from beneath her feet with his next words. ''Sakura-chan, I'm being completely serious here! I-I need to do this, before I lose my nerve. I don't want to propose to Hinata-chan when the tone hasn't been set right from the start!''

Eyes wide, Sakura nearly droopped the phone from the intensity of her surprise. _Propose? Marriage? Naruto? What?_ Incoherent thoughts tumbled one after another through Sakura's mind, but she settled on one, which she voiced with no amount of trepidation in her voice, which trembled with emotion. ''That would have to be the best early birthday present you could ever give her, Naruto. Where did an idiot like you come up with that idea?''

''I'm not some insensitive twat, Sakura-chan! Of course I came up with it alone! I mean, I want impact, and I want it to mean something; more than anything else in the world to her. I-I really love her, y'know. I just want her to know how serious I am about her, about us.'' He sounded genuinely insulted by her offhand remark, and Sakura swallowed the guilt that rose within her gut.

''I'm sorry, Naruto. You know I didn't mean it. I just... wow. Never thought you'd be the one wanting to get hitched. And so soon too! Seriously, congratulations.'' Sakura intoned softly, smiling as she turned to rest her elbows and stomach against the bench.

_He's grown so much since our childhood_, she thought with eyes that were becoming increasingly moist with tears. _I couldn't be more proud of him._ She heard Naruto breathe out softly, before shakily responding to her, voice rich with the deep affection he had held for her for so many years.

''Yeah, I know Sakura-chan. Thanks a lot. And yeah, it was kind of unexpected for me too, but the more I thought about it―y'know, the marriage thing―the more I wanted it. Like _really_ wanted it. I've never had a family of my own; the closest thing to it was Team 7. And although you guys will always be hugely important to me, I want Hinata-chan to know that she's my number one. Is that bad?''

''No, of course not!'' Sakura refuted resolutely, her green eyes firm as she stared at the calendar on the wall across from her. _Ten days till Christmas, huh, Sasuke-kun?_

''I completely understand it! You'll always have a family with us, with Kaka-sensei and Sasuke-kun,'' she flinched a little at the mention of his name, and she was sure the gesture carried through her sharp pause immediately after omitting it, as Naruto asked if she was alright. ''I'm fine, don't worry! Anyways, you'll always find family with us, but it's about time you experienced for yourself what it means to have something to call your own. I for one, am glad for it.''

Naruto paused on his end of the line, as if in thought, before he spoke softly into the receiver; as if what he was saying was a secret meant for her ears only.

''Sasuke will be back, Sakura. He came back when Toneri invaded our territory―'' Now it was Naruto's turn to flinch in discomfort. He never liked thinking back on that experience. ''To protect us all in my stead, and he made it very clear that he would definitely return to us soon. Have patience, Sakura-chan. A bastard he may be, but a liar he is not.'' Naruto quipped sagely, his blue eyes practically sparkling through the line between them.

Sakura smiled, a traitorous tear leaking out of the corner of her right eye, which she deftly wiped away. Now was not the time for tears. Naruto was making a life-changing decision, and he needed her to guide him down the right path. If anything, it was what she was best at. Giving him direction helped her with her own, and so she had then made up her mind. ''Dress warmly and meet me at The Bridge, Naruto. We have some engagement shopping to do.''

And so here she was, wading through the crowd with Naruto's hand clasped firmly in hers. It was the only surefire way of staying together and not getting sucked away into the endless void of milling masses that they were currently submerged in. His hand, big, warm and covered in callouses from hours upon hours of training, was slickened with a sheen of anxious sweat, and he continued to readjust his grip on her clasped fingers so as to ensure that their bond would endure.

Their eyes acting as a synchronised unit, they searched the surrounding area until Sakura spotted a small jeweller, out of the way enough that few people were seen loitering around it. Perfect. Sharing a grin, the two pushed their way through the flailing limbs and solid bodies, barrelling their way into the doorway of the store. Sakura steeled herself, before pushing Naruto forward, the door opening with the slightest creak of protest.

The sound of bells chiming alerted them to the pair that had been affixed to the top of the door-frame. Nostalgia washed through them as they thought back to a quiet spring day eight years passed, where three eager genin learned the essence of being a ninja. Teamwork. Compassion. Comradery. Both jonin smiled in reverence of the childhood keepsake, before their attentions were drawn to the frail old man tottering his way over to them, a warm, hospitable smile on his face.

''Welcome! What can I do you for, Uzumaki-san, Haruno-san?'' He asked, voice smooth and strong despite his decrepit exterior. They had not expected such a powerful voice from such a timid looking elder, but appearances could never be taken at face value in the shinobi world, and this was of no exception. From the scars on his hands and face, it was easy to see that he once shared the same battlefield that they did, and no doubt would he be able to hold his own even now. His presence said everything.

Naruto swallowed, obviously nervous, allowing a quick glance in Sakura's direction. She merely smiled encouragingly, placing a comforting hand on his bicep before he vocalised his request. ''I'm here... to purchase a gift for my girlfriend. Y'know, the permanent kind?'' The old man's eyes, sharp as knives, gleamed in the soft light of his shop, a deep well of wisdom lurking in their depths as he responded just as evasively. ''There are many permanent means of showing affection, Uzumaki-san. Bracelets, earrings, necklaces. But what I sense here is that of the ring variety. Am I to assume of the casual kind, or of the marriage kind?''

''T-The marriage kind.'' Naruto stuttered out, voice eerily quiet as he met the old man's gaze with his own, without faltering. Something in the blonde's expression must have caught the man's attention, for he looked oddly impressed as he smiled gently at him, as if to break the ice. ''Well now, I have quite the collection of pretty rings that I could show you, but I suppose that you have something already in mind?'' At Naruto's stunned expression, he laughed, a booming baritone that immediately dispersed the remaining tension from their bodies.

''I have been in this business for many years now, lad. I know the nuances, know them well. You have put some thought into this, unlike a lot of other things in your young life.'' Sakura laughed at the bewildered look on the blonde's face. His antics from their youth had become legendary, after all, and that notoriety had obviously not simmered down since then.

''Old minds never forget.'' Was all the man said in that respect, before he led Naruto and Sakura out to the back of his shop, in order to settle the design schematics that he was looking for. Sakura watched quietly from her spot on the couch as they discussed the important tidbits, a soft smile lingering on her face long after the night folded into dawn.

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Sakura blew on her hands, fluffy white clouds rising around her cupped palms as she rubbed them into biting futility. It was the Eve of the big day, and Sakura had a lot of preparations to make. The Rookie Nine (tears swum in her eyes as she recalled with a sickening lurch of her stomach that there were only eight of them now) were gathering at the Hokage's Mansion for the festivities, to be celebrated with their sensei and fellow shinobi, and she was in charge of the decorations.

After a long shift at the hospital, more work was hardly appealing to her, mind and body frazzled with exhaustion, but she swallowed her protests at the thought of seeing her sensei and shishou. It had been three months since Kakashi-sensei had had the time to entertain her requests for company (being the Rokudaime was occupying every ounce of freedom he had once had), and she hadn't seen her shishou in just as long; after Kakashi had taken the mantle of Kage off of her shoulders, she had hightailed it out of the village for some much needed ''R&amp;R,'' cackling over the fact that she would never have to do paperwork again.

Leaving her poor sensei behind in the wake of her laziness. But no one was more capable than Kakashi-sensei; he picked up on her slack, and had the office running more efficiently than ever, at the cost of even his time to visit the graves of his loved ones. The worn, tattered orange book was nowhere in sight, tucked away for a rainy day of leisure that was beyond sight. His headband was placed quietly in the top draw of his desk, should he ever need to don it again for battle; gleaming despite the darkness it lived in.

When he was particularly stressed, he would take it out and polish it, staring into every scratch and imperfection that marred the smooth metal surface searchingly, as if he were reliving every battle and memory that had been etched into it. There was a fond sadness in his gaze that Sakura had to avoid meeting at such times, for she feared that the despair that he felt looking into those cracks of broken memories and loss would break down her carefully placed wall of composure.

Weakness was not what he needed. Her strength helped pull his wits about, and so she would never meet his eyes again when there were tears to be spilt, for it was no longer his responsibility to wipe them away. She needed to be strong, for both of their sakes. Even so, it was hard to reel in the squeal of excitement as she passed through the threshold of his office and met his warm onyx irises. He moved from his place by the window and strode toward her, placing an affectionate hand upon her head as he smiled knowingly through his mask at her, eyes crinkling at the edges as he greeted her in his soft tones.

''Lost on the path of life, Sakura? I'm glad that it happened to converge with me today, even if you are late.'' There was a teasing note lilting behind the tenor of his voice, and it did not go amiss, for Sakura smacked him playfully on his side before wrapping her arms around his waist.

''I had to save a stray ramen-loving mutt from pre-proposal jitters after I left the hospital, sensei. There was no helping it.'' She exclaimed in amusement, her voice muffled by the thick material of his black woollen sweater.

He chuckled wholeheartedly, her body jostled along with his as he gently pried her away from him, not a trace of embarrassment on his face as he ruffled her cropped hair. It was about shoulder-length now, but because it was so cold, Sakura was reluctant to chop off the only source of warmth her neck had at all times, so she had elected not to do so as of yet.

''Well I am sure that that went down with as much eloquence as a feral cat on fire.'' Kakashi quipped, genuinely exasperated as he led Sakura by the hand to the lounge at the back of his office.

He was informed of Naruto's plans via the horse's mouth himself, barging into his quarters at three in the morning to have a heart to heart with his very grouchy sensei, who had until then not slept for three days. Needless to say, the encounter didn't bode well, but they were both over it. Kakashi was secretly quite pleased about the events, and Sakura knew it all too well. Perhaps he felt it even more so, having been in a position where he no longer had family as well. It was wonderful seeing Naruto being accepted and loved by those around him, even more so when that love promised a family all his own.

''I can't say it was... easy to bring him back to earth,'' Sakura said with a little more acidity than necessary, but her expression softened at the memory of Naruto all worked up over Hinata's reaction. ''But he did eventually calm down enough to eat three bowls at Ichiraku's, so I'd say that's a job well done for yours truly.'' She gloated smugly, before she returned her gaze to Kakashi. He looked thoughtful.

''You really have grown a lot, Sakura. More than you even realise. More than the boys ever could have.'' It was meant to be a simple statement, an observation made out of love and deep affection, but there was a cryptic quality to his words that stopped Sakura in her tracks. What had brought this on?

''Well, I'd say you still have some growth left in you, but you really have come into yourself as of late. You look happier than I've ever seen you. I think that the promise of hope that Sasuke left with you really has done a world of good for your esteem, wouldn't you agree?'' He faced her then, with a knowing glint in his eyes; as if he knew that she had been thinking about him. But of course he knew. He always knew. She smiled, expression full of a sweetness that could only ever be brought about at the mention of her love's name.

''Mm. I don't know about that... But I _am_ happier. Definitely happier. I miss him, of course, and more than anything in the world I wish he would just come home. But I know that he can't. It isn't that simple. He has so much to work through, so much to recover from, and I don't want to impede on his progress. When he comes home, I want it to be at his own pace, because he's ready to be here with us all again. I want him to want to be here, and not return out of some foolish sense of obligation to me, to us.'' Sakura proclaimed with a smile, fire burning in her eyes as Kakashi's crinkled up in response.

His heart warmed at her presence, at her smile. It had been lost for so long amidst tears and despair, and he had coveted its return for so long that his hope had dwindled to near nothingness; until Sasuke put it back on her lips. _Now, she can smile from her heart_, he thought with a swell of pride filling his chest. Now, she can truly be happy. _Can you see it, Sasuke? Can you see her smiling for you?_

The abrupt sound of the door thumping open jerked their attention away from each other. Standing there, piled sky-high with boxes spewing rainbows of twinkling tinsel and Christmas baubles, was Tsunade and Shizune, followed by an army of staffers dressed like elves and looking shamefaced for it.

''Sorry to interrupt the touching reunion, but we have work to do!'' Tsunade exclaimed with a smirk, before turning on her heel and yelling orders at the flustered helpers standing at the wayside. Sakura's heart warmed at the familiar sight, and she linked hands with Kakashi for a brief moment of respite; from the pesky thoughts of time too slow to pass, and of proposals and shared kisses under mistletoe and inky dark eyes that were out of her reach.

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It was just after one in the morning when Sakura retired to her own home, eager to get some much needed sleep for the day ahead. The first Merry Christmas of the year belonged, rightfully, to Kakashi and Tsunade, and in turn Shizune and the rest of the workers who had been summoned to do the Godaime's sadistic will, and they had returned the sentiments with much zest. Well, with as much zest as fatigued shinobi leaders could manage at such an ungodly hour, anyhow.

The pink haired med-nin sauntered slowly down the darkened streets, the hustle and bustle of the final rush hours of Christmas Eve a distant echo that carried her onward. It was an idyllic scene to look upon, serene and a little sad. Lonely, melancholy. Empty. Feeling a little hollow on the inside, Sakura shook her head, little tufts of powdered snow, freshly fallen, sent flying in the air around her.

It did her very little good getting depressed on such a festive day, after all, especially at this time. But the environment, although pristine and blanketed in a thick layer of snowfall, was darkly reminiscent of that abysmal day; the fact that there were stone benches lining the sides of the pathway did not help. Even coated in snow, they were clearly discernible, and her gut rolled over unpleasantly, a feeling akin to vertigo stopping her dead in her tracks.

Closing her eyes, Sakura inhaled unsteadily, her lips numb from the wintry air nipping at them. She was sure her face was flushed with blotchy red stains, for her face was stinging from overexposure to the elements, and the fine hairs all over her body had risen, despite her warm and thickly-laden attire. Steadying herself, she opened her eyes, which were drawn to the half-covered full moon above.

It was cloaked behind the misty clouds that were sending down snowflakes, but the waning silver glow streaked through the gaps, lighting her way home. And behind those clouds, and beyond that shimmering moon, surely, there was a shooting star falling just for her.

And she wished on it harder than she ever had in her life.

_Please. Bring him home someday. Bring him home to me._

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Frost had gathered on the windowpanes when the first rays of daybreak filtered into her room, spreading like wildfire over the glass like a plague of frozen sand. Sakura opened her eyes, bleary and sleepy, peering out at the brightening sky above with a neutral expression. It had felt like no time had passed at all since she had curled up under the thick quilt on her bed and fallen into a disturbed slumber, which only further enhanced her dislike of said time. Even in moments like this it was proving to be detrimental to her health.

Body heavy, Sakura lay there, prone and still as stone, burying her face into her pillows and groaning when she sensed a familiar flare of chakra pressing urgently toward her apartment. Why did he have to disturb her so early in the godforsaken morning? Pretending to be unaware of his presence, she closed her eyes and counted to twenty, hoping that in the process she would miraculously fall asleep and that he would leave her in peace.

Naturally, this was not to be. Naruto had never had any qualms invading her boundaries, after all, and this was of no exception. _Just kill me please_, she moaned in despair, watching the few small grains of respite crumble into dust within her mind, her Inner eloquently hurtling obscenities so colourful that a hardened shinobi operative would blush had they heard them vocalised. She didn't even flinch when her bedroom door was thrown open, and a larger than life blonde dimwit flew in without a care in the world, dressed as an obscenely orange parody of Santa Claus and toting a large napsack to match.

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, and if possible, sunk deeper into her mattress, pulling the blanket over her head to shield her ears from his impending morning wake-up call.

''WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD! IT'S KU-RI-SU-MA-SUUUUU!'' Naruto hollered in obvious excitement, bounding over to her bed and flopping onto it like deadweight, his hands probing for her sides before he began tickling her.

At first she was habitually enraged, having been disturbed so rudely from her near interlude with inertia, but his giddy laughter was infectious, and soon he had pulled the doona away from her writhing body as she laughed, deep and gut-busting giggles that washed away her exhaustion and left her feeling surprisingly refreshed. And they lay there for a while, looking into each other's eyes, a deep platonic affection shared in their amused expressions as she reached up and brushed the remnants of snow from his hair. It was cold, wet and mushy to the touch, and she shuddered at the unpleasant bite it packed.

''We really should get up, 'tebayo.'' Naruto stated with a calmness that defied the mischievous gleam in his bright cerulean eyes. Sakura shrugged, content to merely lie there in the residual warmth of her blankets, but when she caught the anxious glimmer that flickered across the blonde's bronzed complexion, she knew he was right.

''Yeah, yeah, I'm getting up now.'' Sakura shook her hand noncommittally, nonplussed by his dubious stare as she stretched her stiff muscles out, exposing some midriff and thigh that even Naruto couldn't help but ogle. She had gradually grown into her figure, and it seemed mother nature was finally being kind to her. Beneath that baggy shirt, her bust had filled out substantially, to the point where, if she had to, she could get away with borrowing one of Hinata's brassieres for support.

But the changes weren't limited to that. The toned muscles of her stomach had sloped outwards, widening her hips and enhancing the lovely shape of her long legs. Even if she was short, she looked deceptively tall in heels because of those limbs of hers, and Naruto drank in the sight of her with as little lust as he could manage.

He may love every inch of Hinata more than anything else in the world, but on the flip side, he had been crazy about Sakura for a long time too, so it was a little harder to not appreciate her blossoming beauty as it began to unfold into its peak. Shaking off his attentions as mere admiration (she felt her pride bolster a little at the thought that even though he was so in love with Hinata, he could still appreciate her feminine charms as well), Sakura headed over to her dresser, pulling out her attire for the day before she turned expectantly to Naruto.

''Leave. It's shower time in the Haruno household, and if I so much as catch a glimpse of your ugly mug taking a peek, I will break every bone in your body and send them to Hinata as the decorations for her Christmas tree, you hear?'' He was gone before she had even finished.

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The day had progressed pleasantly. Having the chance to gather everyone from their youth together in one place was wonderful, and having new friends to share the day with was the icing on the cake. Sakura, noticing Tenten's glum disposition, opted to move their little party to the graveyard, so that they could involve Neji in their festivities as well.

Her chocolate brown eyes, misted over with tears, were deeply grateful, and even though it was cold as high hell, having Neji's presence near was of great comfort to everyone there. He had been a beloved friend and family member, and was sorely missed by them all.

Hinata especially, whose delicate features twisted in sadness as she held Tenten's hand comfortingly, her pale lavender irises returning every so often to gaze forlornly at the name etched into the cold, frostbitten stone. Sakura's heart ached for the both of them, who had loved him so very deeply, in ways that Lee and the rest of their group failed to comprehend.

When the time came to head to the Hokage Mansion for the main festive celebration, their bodies were numbed to the cold, but inside they were warm. Wishing Neji a Merry Christmas was bittersweet, but the soft echo of bells in the distance seemed to be a sign of sentiment reciprocated, and they all left with spirits uplifted.

Tenten had since become more talkative, openly reminiscing on the days spent in the festive season with her quiet, brooding lover. They all listened attentively, sometimes adding onto her stories with footnotes of their own, and Sakura smiled softly as she watched Tenten laugh without restraint. She had taken his death so badly, but had internalised it until after the war had been won. Only then did she allow herself to crumble in her devastation, and it had taken her until then to show signs of healing.

Finally, she could learn to live her life without his loss constantly weighing her down. She could focus on the beautiful memories that she had shared with him, and remember him as she knew him, and that was what they had all been sincerely waiting for. Her heart bled for the loss of such a wonderful and devoted friend and ninja, and even more so for the lover and family that he had left behind.

A part of her felt guilty for not having done anything more to save him. Perhaps if she had tried harder, he would still be among them, smiling quietly as he held onto Tenten's hand and walked alongside them.

But it was an unreasonable sense of guilt, one that came from love and heartache, and not from the crux of his death itself. She could do no more for him than anyone else could have. His death was a tragedy that was unavoidable, and would live in their hearts and minds forever. But living with him inside of them... that was the one way that he could continue to live on, and so they held on with steadfast determination.

After arriving at the Mansion, they were bombarded with glittering tinsel and alcohol embellished by the sparkling fairy lights that danced suggestively against the slivers of exposed flesh and atop the watery surfaces of their beverages. Sakura found herself at the window of Kakashi's large office, peering out into the darkness that had settled in the early afternoon, which hosted the promise of a long night of partying hard. The blanket of lapis lazuli that coated the sky twinkled incandescently, and Sakura longed for a meteor shower.

She had more wishes to waste on the temptress called Time.

Naruto slipped through the crowd, making his way over to her still profile; she watched his form mirrored on the glassy surface, eyes thoughtful as she noticed the rising tension mounting in his features. Looks like the time is just about right.

''How about some liquid courage before you chicken out?'' Sakura intoned with a smirk as he settled alongside her, wringing away the tension in his hands on a defenseless napkin in the process of unwinding from his anxieties.

''Not funny, Sakura-chan.'' He interjected snarkily, the tremor in his voice enough to take away the edge of his retort. ''Look, I'm sorry. It's just... ugh, I dunno. If I fuck this up, I'll never live it down, and if I take even a sip of sake, I know I'll lose my nerve and screw my chances completely.'' Naruto explained softly, his blue eyes jittery as they searched the crowd for the lavender eyed goddess he had come to adore so completely. He found her by the punch bowl, talking with Kiba and Shino as they coddled their sensei's daughter.

He returned his gaze to hers, which was sympathetic and ready for dishing out moral support. He smiled briefly, reaching out to link fingers with hers, before he raised his biggest concern of all. ''What if she says no? Sakura-chan, what'll I do then?''

''Naruto, you are the world's biggest moron if you think that she'll ever, for a minute, turn you down. She spent most of her life chasing your shadow, loving you from a distance, and remaining faithful to those feelings unconditionally was her greatest asset. More than anything, all you have to worry about is whether your proposal will lead to one of her famous fainting spells.'' Amusement was clear in her voice when Naruto's eyes widened comically at the realisation that had not occurred to him sooner.

''Oh shit! Well, I'll be there to catch her, 'tebayo! So even if she does, I'll keep holding onto her until she says yes!'' He exclaimed with conviction, pumping his fist in the air for extra emphasis, a huge grin replacing the sour twist to his lips and spreading onto Sakura's face as well. He was so resilient. No setback would ever get the best of him. He just had to think positively, like he always had, and he would do just fine. Sakura believed that with all of her trembling heart.

''Well, I should probably...'' He trailed off suggestively, and Sakura just shoved him away playfully. Moron. Just as he was about to make his way through the large swell of shinobi, however, Naruto stopped, and turned back to face her. Stunned, Sakura could only wonder why he was coming back to her at this crucial moment. The blonde bent over, hand wrapping over hers as he whispered softly into her ear.

''I know it's kinda late, but I left you a present somewhere special. You'd better hop to it. It's cold outside.'' Was all he said, before he planted a soft kiss to her flushed cheek and melted into the crowd. Sakura watched in mute fascination as he tapped Hinata on the shoulder; watched as her features lit up brightly at the sight of his face; watched as he took her hand and excused them from the party. Her mouth was a pretty pull of bittersweet happiness as she saw Naruto peer over his shoulder at her, his thumb coming up as his expression mirrored her own. And then they were gone, and she was brought back to the reality of his words.

''A present, huh? Wonder what the idiot got for me...?'' _Somewhere special? Where on earth...?_ She rolled her eyes. He was always bad at lying. Perhaps he had forgotten her in his panic to find the perfect ring for Hinata, and was trying to buy time to make it up to her? Well, it didn't really matter to her. There was only one thing she truly wanted, and she was prepared to wait the rest of her life before she received it.

Shirking off her negative impressions, Sakura mingled amidst the crowd, observing in absolute fascination as Ino flirted shamelessly with Sai to gay abandon. Sakura knew that he was sweet on the blonde bombshell, but he was yet to stumble upon that conclusion, so for the time being she was content watching him put the pieces together while Ino made her intentions all too clear. Captain Obvious could take a leaflet from her, that's for sure.

A brush against her shoulder and a familiar scent filled her with warmth as she turned her gaze to Kakashi, who watched the festivities with a bored glint in his dark eyes from his position alongside her. He said nothing, just kept her company, which was more than enough to content her heart, shaking with trepidation on behalf of Naruto. ''He'll be fine.'' Was all the once famous copy-nin said, turning his smiling eyes on her before he brushed her cheek affectionately.

''Don't you have somewhere to be?'' He stated blithely, the cryptic gleam of the previous night inflected in his words. Sakura shook her head, unsure as to what he was insinuating. ''Well you look like you're about to run for the hills. How about you take a walk and get some fresh wintry air for a minute or two? You look about as pleased to be around all these people as I am.'' He added emphatically, a chuckle slipping out from beneath his mask before he sauntered away to a place of quietude. _He's right_, she thought internally. _I really do need a break from this._

Sakura huffed out an impatient sigh as she weaved expertly through the clamouring masses, green eyes plastered on the door upon which Naruto had exited only moments prior. How was he doing? _Hopefully not badly enough to forever traumatise the poor girl_, Sakura mused. No, she was confident in Naruto's ability to convey his feelings to the young Hyuuga woman. He could do this. Kakashi had said so himself, so it had to be true. For both of their sakes.

Crossing her fingers for a miracle, Sakura vacated the premises, opting to take a stroll through the heart of the village where she could really clear her head. Avoiding the outdoor celebrations was hard, as there were so many, which meant that she was led down the only path that cut directly through New Tanami Bridge and rounded off at the village gates. Sakura took a leisurely pace, pulling her thin woollen cardigan closer to her body. Perhaps she should have brought her coat with her. In that thin scarlet dress and leggings that were emphasised by knee-length boots, Sakura was freezing her tits off.

_Definitely should have brought my coat_, she moaned despairingly, rubbing her arms in a feeble attempt to stave off the cold. Naturally, her efforts of friction were feeble at best, and the hairs on her arms and neck only rose further in protest to the prickly cold nipping at her from every angle.

''Urgh...'' Sakura grunted softly, her exhalation glittering like a misty cloud of diamonds in the soft moonlight overhead. It was snowing softly, and the thick crunch of it underfoot was hugely unpleasant, as the cold seeped through to her woolly-clad feet, and she wished that she had worn another layer for just this reason.

''Ironic that I'm supposedly so intelligent, and yet I am under-dressed for the weather.'' She grunted tersely, a derisive sneer lifting at her plush lips as she let slip another shuttered breath, the sound of snow parting beneath her feet and her even breaths filling the muted silence of her surroundings. Already the commotion within the city had become a muffled buzz in the backdrop, and Sakura relished in the tranquility that came with it.

Finally, a place to escape the droning thoughts of yearning that had plagued her for so long! In that moment, Sakura finally realised just how tired she was; drained dry of her composure, it was all she could do to keep herself from bursting into tears. She had so many things, so many people, to be grateful and happy about in her life, and yet even so, she couldn't help but feel bereft as desolation crept up on her from the shadows. She missed him terribly, there was no doubt about it. But even so, it was pathetic to hold onto wishful thinking. _Shooting stars are not a promise_, she screamed internally, and for once, her Inner was blessedly quiet. _Don't house unrealistic expectations! It isn't fair on him, nor me._

Unwittingly, tears filled her eyes, and she blinked them away, allowing the bitter chill to absolve them from her. She would not be weak. He would be ashamed of her if she was anything less than a pillar of strength in the wake of his absence. She didn't want him to witness her weakness. Never again. Sighing and shaking off the emotion with a jerk of her whole body, Sakura opened her eyes, blinking away the pesky water sprites that were clinging to her vision and blotting out the moonlit path in front of her.

Funny, how she tried and failed to be resolute at the crucial moments. Or so she thought. When she went to forcefully wipe at her eyes, she found them blessedly dry. Her path, however, was filled with shadow. It didn't help that the moon was obscured behind clouds. She held her breath, and peered into the gloom ahead. Although it was dark, it was clear that in the distance, there was a black stain that overlapped the shadows, casting a deeper darkness that extended its reaches to the tips of her toes.

Try as she might, the stain had no form from this distance, and thus she could not discern what was unfolding before her eyes. She took a hesitant step forward, pronounced by the sound of her boots scraping against the stone pathway at her feet where the snow had yet to fully cover. The sound echoed, and whatever was in the darkness had stilled. Her eyes could not discern any features, but it was big anyhow. Naruto's words fluttered to mind. _I left you a present._ Perhaps this was it? It made some sense, after all. Taking the path that gave her the best chance at a reprieve was only one feature that the blonde must have designed in this little scheme of his.

And it looked as if Kakashi was in on it too. Why else would her lazy sensei advise her to leave the party, unattended, and in the cold no less, unless there was something to be gained from it? Rolling her pretty green eyes, Sakura huffed an amused smile at their collective ingenuity.

Well they had gotten her mind off of other matters. That counted for something. A loud, reverberating echo rang out in the din, and it was only then that she realised that it had been a footstep. Was it hers?

Surely not. She didn't recall moving―

Another step. And another. Slow and unhurried, the steps approached, bringing the dark shadow into the light that cacooned Sakura's shrinking figure. She was confident that she could handle a threat should the need arise, but in her current outfit, it would be... difficult. But none of that seemed to matter, the closer the person, easily male, came; closing the distance between them.

And when they finally stepped into the light, Sakura's breath caught in her throat. _You'd better hop to it. It's cold outside. **Don't you have somewhere to be?** Get some air. _A multitude of voices filled her mind, drowning out her own thoughts as she gaped at the dark stain that had been plaguing her thoughts for the last two and a half years.

A heartbreakingly beautiful face stared back at her, expression neutral but expressive never the less. He was clearly amused, flickering merth dancing in his heated onyx orbs as he held her gaze with an intensity that could smoulder through metal without issue or qualm. His lips parted, but he paused, watching Sakura fumble for words that were clearly escaping the reach of her tongue.

There was so much to say, _too_ much. Sakura didn't even know where to begin. A garbling sound resembling a flustered puppy's whine was all she could physically omit, her mind still catching up with her out of body experience. This was real. _He_ was real. She unconsciously reached out with a trembling hand, pressing it hesitantly against the solid build of his chest. His heart thrummed slowly beneath her palm, and she curled her fingers into the coarse warmth of his shirt in response.

''Sasuke...-kun...?'' He inclined his head in affirmation, the slightness of the movement so very _him_ that tears sprung into her eyes, unbidden, once more.

''You're really here...?'' Sasuke nodded, eyes carefully exploring the familiar yet changed features of his female team mate. She had grown up. With a perfunctory glance down at the rest of her, Sasuke concluded to himself that yes, she really _had_ grown a lot in his absence.

As had he. In Sakura's eyes, he had become so painfully handsome that her whole body ached the longer she looked at him. It didn't seem fair that one man could be so blindingly perfect in every way, but she couldn't complain; only stand there in absolute awe of his realness.

Sasuke watched as her green eyes glistened with tears unshed as she gazed up at him with her neck craned; he had grown immensely tall, much taller than Naruto, and certainly taller than their sensei. It hit her then, in that moment, that he was now a man. Not a child turned teenager ridden with sorrow and profound hatred, a thirst for vengeance and bloodlust, but a young man, who had shed the shell of his youth and become an exceptional Adonis.

And here she was, as short and homely as ever in comparison. Never the less... all thoughts fell away when he leaned closer to her, peering into her face as if truly fascinated with what he had found there. She could scarcely breathe. So startled was she at his presence and his current proximity that she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. ''If you're my Christmas present, then where's the pretty wrapping paper?''

His expression morphed into stunned surprise at her strangely bold question, before the ghost of a smile tugged furtively at the stubborn pull of his lips, and a reverberating chuckle filled the air between them, the tenor deep and smooth like satin against silk.

''It got lost in courier. I told the dobe that it was better to travel express, but he's surprisingly uptight. Said that my own natural wrapping was as good as any.''

Sakura bit her lip in surprise at his joke, stunned that he had the good humour to share it with her so casually, before she threw her arms around his neck and laughed. Her laughter turned into sobs when his sole hand came to rest upon the small of her back, holding her to him in blissful rapture, and she clung fast to his craning figure, which had dipped down to accommodate for her lack of height.

''Looks like my wish finally came true...'' Sakura mumbled into the crook of his neck, Sasuke pulling back to look at her questioningly. When she merely brushed it off as ''It's nothing,'' he held her gaze for a precious moment, before he raised his right hand, pressing his fore and middle fingers to the centre of her forehead against the dark diamond that rested there, mirroring the affectionate gesture of his departure nearly three years ago.

Her cheeks flushed prettily under his hooded gaze, and under the lapis lazuli stained sky, he smiled for her.

_''I'm home.''_

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**Ending Remarks:** _Well, how about that. I go in to write a drabble, and out comes a fucking novella. Whoops? Uh, so yeah, I suck at this anthology thing, but I will do my very best to post a new one every day for the remainder of this month. (:_

_Hopefully, they won't turn out as long-winded as this one did. Never the less, I loved writing the fluff, as progressively as it appears, so please excuse me while I go flail over the ships~~ *^*_

_Please do drop me a review! Look forward to the next one!_

-x-**R**_i_n-x-


	2. Confession

**Author's Note:** _And here I bring you the second one! This is pure fluff. I hope it gives you cavities goddammit._

* * *

_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Two:** Confession

_**.**_

_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura**_

_**Categories: Romance**_

_**Rating: K**_

* * *

Excitement fluttered beneath the taut pull of Sakura's tummy as she knelt, in silence, upon the upturned sheets of her bed. Clothes were littered across the dark maroon carpet at the foot of her bed, lying forgotten in the wake of the sight outside. White tufts of snow sifted through the early morning air, tumbling in gentle patters and arcing to meet their end on the ever-growing pile of sleet upon the ground.

_It's really Christmas, huh?_ She thought with a smile, which grew in volume the more she absorbed the expanding winter wonderland around her. It was truly idyllic; the ideal backdrop to enjoy a romantic interlude with her newly instated boyfriend. The butterflies in her stomach jumped chaotically in response to her musings. It was a little known fact that Uchiha Sasuke had been the one to approach her; most people just naturally assumed that it had been Sakura's persistence that had finally paid off.

But no, it had not gone that way at all. He came to her, one day in early November, expression carefully schooled into neutrality as he took her hand in his, and led her away from her apartment. They had become very close since his recent return from his explorations, but that line between friendship and something more substantial had yet to be crossed. Sakura yearned for his closeness, and as he readjusted his grip on her gloved palm and linked their fingers together, a sense of deep fulfillment pervaded her senses.

She had never expected anything akin to this. Dreamed of it, yes, but to be able to so casually hold his hand, in the presence of others, without batting an eyelash, without him shirking her off or giving her a scathing look of reprimand? It all seemed like a wonderfully crafted illusion. And even if it was a genjutsu, she had no plans of ever disrupting its flow.

The beginnings of winter were setting in all around them; the tri-coloured leaves were falling, crunching crisply underfoot, and the air had developed a sharp, frosty bite. Sakura could see her exhalations fan out into little puffs of mist, the heat relieved from its exit warming her chapped lips and blowing back like a cold slap of reality against her cheeks; almost like a sign that this was indeed real, and not a figment of her deluded imaginings.

Her lips toyed with a small smile too impertinent to remain internal, and her cheeks darkened visibly when Sasuke came to a stop by a wilting sakura tree, turning to face her. Even in its state of decay, it was beautiful, mottled bruises of pink, purple and maroon folding over the bare branches and shielding the raw skeleton from the bitter chill of the fickle wind. But nothing could even begin to compare to the sinful appeal of the man before her, whose hand had yet to let hers loose; it remained, clasped amidst a tangle of fingers, and it seemed to latch onto her with a permanence that jump-started Sakura's pulse to a tremendous gallop.

She was more than aware of how deeply his very presence affected her; it was plain, had been plain, in the way she had adored him for so long, unwavering and unconditionally, and she knew that he knew it too. But still, he had not let go of that hand; he held fast, and the seriousness of his expression set her blood ablaze. Her breaths came a little faster as he closed the distance between them. The prosthetic limb that rested just beneath his left elbow was a bittersweet sight as he raised it up to catch the falling snowflake that had settled itself upon her rosy locks.

His mobility was fantastic, she knew, but there was no sensation to stimulate his brain's synapses; although he could touch her with those remarkable fingers of which he could move of his own will, he could not _feel_ her, and Sakura's heart clenched tightly in her chest every time she reminded herself of this. She was so thankful that he still had an arm to make tangible connections with, one that carried the warmth of a human being's touch.

It reassured her that he was here, with her, in this place of utmost quietude. Sasuke ran the cold fingertips down her cheek, tracing her jawline before he trailed them down to rest at the hollow of her throat, against the place where her heart was beating its fastest. He, of course, could not feel it with his lack of attachment to sensation, but he could absorb the vibrations that ran through her into himself, and he smiled softly, knowingly, when her flushed cheeks darkened for reasons not associated with the cold.

Sakura was lost in his dark eyes, so expressive and yet so cryptic, and she raised her free hand to cradle the false one crested against her chest. It was smooth and very cold, but she didn't flinch away. Her own warmth could thaw away the frostbite that had settled into his left hand. Her green eyes sparkling in the early morning light, and a smile curving unwittingly on her lips, Sakura gazed up at him in quiet awe and adoration that spoke volumes, and he allowed his countenance to soften in response.

Even if it wasn't love, Sakura was unbelievably happy that he could look at her with such affection clear in his expression. Had the world been flipped on its back, and had they not managed to reconcile, then surely such joy would not exist. Sakura was filled with life, love and hope, and she wanted more than anything to share it with him. He deserved as much, after having lived a life full of misery and absolute despair for so long. No longer would he walk in the darkness. She would pull him along by his prosthetic arm if need be into the world of light that he filled her with, and would walk alongside him forever.

She had decided all of this a very long time ago, and nothing would dissuade her from her path. ''Is anything the matter, Sasuke-kun?'' Sakura inquired softly, tilting her head curiously as she observed his still form. It shook her how tall he had become, no matter how often they were together, even when Naruto was present. The blonde was no slouch, but he barely scraped the raven haired ninja's shoulder.

''_Bloody hell_, teme! What the fuck did you _eat_ to become the Iron Giant?'' Naruto had exclaimed, flabbergasted, when Sasuke had stood from his seat across from Kakashi, having freshly returned to Konoha from his expedition, to greet his foolish best friend properly. Sakura giggled a little at the memory, Sasuke's pointed stare washing away her amusement and replacing it with trepidation. Oh right, he had something to talk to her about.

''Nothing in particular.'' Was his terse response as he fixed his gaze with hers. Sakura swallowed at the intensity of his exterior, her mouth feeling unpleasantly dry as she held her chin up a little higher in a show of subservience; if he wanted her full attention, he had it. The wind tousled their hair, and when a stray lock fell over her forehead, Sasuke raised his left hand, clasping the soft strands between clumsy fingers. She thought he would merely tuck it behind her ear as she would have; instead, he bent forward and pressed his lips to the loose strands, his eyes locked with hers even then.

Her knees nearly buckled from shock, but his remaining hand kept her grounded where she stood. Stuttering, Sakura fumbled for words to fill the mounting tension between them, her eyes looking fixedly at the ground whilst she shifted from one foot to the other in an age-old habit that calmed her racing nerves. ''Uh, ano, is there something that you want from me, S-Sasuke-kun? I-I mean, is there anything I can ―''

''You.'' He stated simply, confounding her even further. _Me? What on earth...?_

''Ano, you as in me? What do you mean, Sasuke-kun?'' Sakura was genuinely confused. Just what was he getting at, other than―but it couldn't mean... could it? Dare she hope it be true? ''You... want... _me_...? As in you want me to do something for you, right? You know I'm more than happy to―''

''_You_.'' He repeated once more, exasperation playing on his handsome features as he gripped her hand with renewed vigor.

''What I want is _you_, Sakura.'' It was like he had dumped ice water over her head. There was only one plausible way she could interpret those words, and she was too afraid to even open her mouth to speak, let alone breathe. Tears pooled in her eyes, blurring her vision as her head snapped back up to look into his face searchingly.

Not a hint of malice or derisive amusement to be found. He was being completely serious, honest, with her. A small whimper left her lips as he wiped his prosthetic thumb against the corner of one of her eyes, where a traitorous tear had fallen.

''Be mine.'' There was no question in his tone, but she knew by reading deeper into those two precious words, that there was a tenuous frailty, a vulnerability, that he had exposed by choosing to give them to her. He was offering up a part of himself that not even he was comfortable with to her, and it was the greatest gift of all.

Through eyes burning with tears, Sakura gave him her brightest smile, a joyous laugh erupting from her diapraghm before she reached up to cup the side of his face, flushed with cold and embarrassment, and responded without a hint of hesitation detectable in her voice.

''I've been yours from the very beginning, Sasuke-kun.''

* * *

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Sakura shook the memory from her mind, returning her attention to the frozen paradise outside, a newfound love and appreciation for the winter season filling her to the brim with happiness as she scooted out of bed, having caught a glimpse of a familiar dark head of gravity-defying hair making its way towards her apartment. She all but flew down the flight of stairs that took her to ground level, ankle-warmers and boots shielding her feet from the chilly wooden floorboards as she skidded to a dramatic halt in the living room.

She checked her reflection in the mirror, straightening out the rebellious strands of hair that had moved with the momentum of gravity instead of staying neatly in place, before she fluffed up her pretty lace chiffon dress, ignoring the impracticality of it as she spun once for extra measure, making sure that she had enhanced all of her best features―features that had blossomed late, but were well worth the wait, as she now had a figure that rivalled Hinata's and Ino's.

She grabbed her purse, parka, mittens and her house keys from the kitchen counter, licking her lips quickly before a sharp rap on the door informed her of her boyfriend's (Inner Sakura swooned and stooped into a perpetual fainting spell every time she used the word so familiarly) perfunctory arrival. Always a stickler for keeping the time. Sakura grinned, emerald irises alight with bubbling anticipation as she turned the deadlock over, and opened the door.

''Good morning, Sasuke-kun!'' Sakura chirped enthusiastically, tacking on an overzealous ''Merry Christmas!'' for extra measure, before she stepped forward on her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his cool cheek.

''Hn.'' He grunted in response, but he smiled at her sweet expression and wrapped his sole hand around hers, raising it to his lips where he left a searing kiss that lingered, tingling hotly against the taut skin, hours after its placement.

''Merry Christmas, Sakura. Ready to head out?''

Sakura pulled on her jacket, enjoying the slight disappointment that flickered over Sasuke's face at having his view thwarted by the blasted weather, before she closed her door with a definitive _'thud!'_ and locked it for extra measure. Turning back to face him with her brightest smile yet, she nodded in affirmation, taking his hand once again in hers as they walked at a casual pace down the quiet Konoha streets, together (_at last_).

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**Ending Remarks:** _I JUST WANTED PURE, UNADULTERATED FLUFF OKAY―_

_MY GOD DO I NEED THIS―_

_Please kindly leave a review! I would love to hear from you all! Be back tomorrow with the next update. Stay tuned for more perfection guys (the pairing guys, not the writing). (:_

_Until then!_

-x-**R**_i_n-x-


	3. Date

**Author's Note:** _Thank you to the lovely people who reviewed, especially those who have left me consecutive ones! I live for readers like you who take the time to respect the time I spent writing these little drabbles! Much love, the ensuing fluff is for you!_

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_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Three:** Date

_**.**_

_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura**_

_**Categories: Romance, Humour**_

_**Rating: T (for language)**_

* * *

Sakura often mistook anticipation for nerves. The tumultuous lurching of her stomach as it turned over and over and _over_; the expansive trembling jostling her through to the bone; the sweat gathering against the silk of her skin; the mounting terror filling her as she paced back and forth, waiting. The air was crisp and carried the scent of decaying leaves, emulsifying under the mushy wet snow at her feet, and she inhaled it deeply, as if to overpower the tension quickly strangling her pounding heart.

She had never dated anyone before, let alone _gone on_ a date; and no, the ones with her father and her friends did not count, stressing her out even more so than ever. Sakura had never even had a boyfriend that wasn't a team mate and just a male acquaintance, so she had no prior experiences to draw from. As far as she knew―of Sasuke, and from what little she had gleaned from him himself―her boyfriend of all of a week had never entertained the whimsy of dating before then either, so she knew that he was bound to be nervous as well.

He would simply internalise it better than she currently was; after all, she was renowned for wearing her heart on her sleeve, and it was plain as day that it was thumping towards cardiac arrest.

God, she needed to get a grip. Sasuke had not exactly ''asked her out'' as much as he had told her to meet him at Tanami Bridge at eleven sharp on Sunday afternoon, and so here she was, an entire hour early as she breathed through her mouth in order to stave off the anxiety attack that was bubbling to the surface, her face perpetually flushed over the implications of the day ahead of her.

Sakura had grown to be very close with Sasuke since he had returned six months previously, after his abrupt exit from the newly built Konohagakure gates, and they had slipped into such a comfortable routine around one another that when the raven haired Adonis turned to her last week and stated that they should meet up without the company of Naruto tying them both down, Sakura had immediately agreed to it without really thinking over the implications of his proposal.

Although not particularly romantic, the fact that Sasuke had gone to the effort to ditch the formalities with her (as well as the ever-invasive third-wheel in their not-quite-there-yet relationship) and ask her plainly without a thought was incredibly sweet never the less. It showed her that he wasn't embarrassed to be associated with her outside of Naruto, and even preferred her company over the blonde's when he had a spare moment of recreation needing to be filled. What was even sweeter about this was the fact that instead of doing any number of other things than merely hanging out with her for the day, he had chosen the latter to occupy himself with.

When Ino had inquired, with every ounce of dubiousness a best friend could muster, as to the nature of their bizarre new dynamic, Sakura had shrugged it off. It did not bother her whether or not he saw what they were doing today as a ''date,'' so long as she had the opportunity to be the one doing it with him.

She paused mid-thought, blushing at the insinuations that followed with that entirely open-ended hypothetical, before her Inner stomped them out furiously and screamed for her to get her shit together, because there Sasuke was, sauntering towards her with the casual elegance of a well-trained shinobi operative. _Not that he isn't that at all, Sakura_, her Inner admonished chidingly, rolling her eyes to high-heaven and slapping her metaphysical forehead in exasperation.

The pink haired medic swallowed her protests and nearly choked on her own saliva the closer Sasuke came. He was dressed to suit the weather, a black long-sleeved polo shirt fitting closely to his chest and arms and abs and―_really not important Sakura!_ She inhaled, shakily, and prayed that her traitorous thoughts would not turn wanton. It was hard. A warm trench-coat was pulled taut against the broad set of his shoulders, offset by the long black trousers that accentuated the sheer length of his legs beautifully, and to top it off, he wore combat boots that laced up to mid-calf.

Holy shit. He was literally her dark knight. A navy blue scarf was draped artfully around his neck, acting as a muffler for his face as he buried his gloved hands deeper into his coat's pockets. Only one of his hands could feel the cold, but unlike Naruto, Sasuke was not fashion-challenged, and for the sake of his own propriety (_for a shred of normalcy_, Sakura thought sadly), he had elected to wear the twin mitt without complaint.

It didn't matter a bit to Sakura. He looked incredible. Well, he always did, but today it seemed as if he had put in a little more thought into his outfit's coordinating elements; when Sakura peered closely, she swore she could see a necklace peeking out from beneath the soft (_expensive_) material of his scarf. Something caught off the sunlight's glimmer, and glinted strongly in affirmation of Sakura's notion. So he was wearing a necklace! What a surprise. She hadn't expected that at all. The one impression that Sakura had had of Sasuke was that he wasn't the materialistic type, nor the type to embellish himself with trinkets; but it seemed that even that was misplaced.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She had learnt something new about Sasuke, something that only _she_ was aware of, and the excitement that settled inside of her at this realisation promptly squashed all of her previous jitters. What did she have to be nervous for? She had anticipated this day for as long as she could proclaim that she had loved this man; if she could act normally around him every other day, surely this would be no different. _Besides_, she thought with a gentle smile in his direction, _he would never do anything to make me uncomfortable. He's too considerate to._

With that thought steeling her resolve (as well as the rest of her nerves), Sakura turned to face Sasuke, who was only a few feet away from her, his dark eyes trained fixedly on her face as he came to an eventual stop about three inches away from her petite figure. She quailed a little inside and cursed her damned genetics to hell for making her so short (it didn't help her that Sasuke had shot up a foot since he had returned to Konoha), but soon her bitterness was washed away when Sasuke raised his right hand and promptly flicked her on the forehead, smack in the centre against the dark diamond that lay there proudly.

At her shocked gasp―which in all honesty sounded a little more affronted than she would have liked―Sasuke smirked a little, but the expression was softened when he brushed her hair from her face, fingers trailing fleetingly against the exposed flush of her cheek before he allowed his hand to drop to his side. He proffered it then, a smile toying futilely on his smirking mouth as he watched her blush at the movement. Sakura reached out, hesitant to close the distance between them, hoping and praying to god that this wasn't some cruel prank, when he engulfed her palm in his, linking their fingers together firmly before he looked her in the eye; not a shred of anxiety showed in his expression.

''Let's go, Sakura.'' His tone was smooth, and left little room for argument as he led her along the path, slowing his stride to match her stuttering pace. Sakura looked up at his profile from the corner of her eye, noting that he was gazing straight ahead, not a hint of emotion expressed on his face. It wasn't as if it was blank, by any means. In fact, he looked peaceful, if Sakura had to choose a word to describe the tranquillity that had settled over his countenance. Utterly at peace with the world around him.

Yes, he still had his monsters to deal with. Ghosts that haunted his every waking moment, plaguing his thoughts and contaminating his feelings until all that was left was complete desolation. But he was learning to accept them. Accept the scars that marred his heart, and teach them to heal themselves through the passage called time. And through it all, he had his team mates to lean on for support; he had her. It might seem insignificant, and god had Sakura thought that time and time again, but it was more than the nothing that he had had to live with for so long, and it would at least help to sustain him for a while.

That was all Sakura could ever hope to ask for.

She tightened her grip on his hand, biting her lower lip when he cast her a sweeping glance from his periphery. She knew that it hadn't been too bold when he squeezed back, his fingers pressing intimately against the shell of her left hand as he watched her with a somewhat curious glint in his eyes.

Ever the analyst of Team 7.

Sakura felt her lips twitching, desperate to the point of threatening to split her face in two if she didn't smile back at his endearing expression, but she withheld it with every ounce of willpower within her. She was not keen on the idea of looking like a complete moron when the love of her life was so very close to her.

Sasuke didn't seem to mind her strangeness, though, for he merely shook his head from side to side, his dark bangs swaying enigmatically in the wind as he chuckled to himself, an amused smile taunting her as it pulled at his lips, only to be smothered by his sudden exhalation. A misty cloud gathered in front of his face, before it promptly sunk into his cheeks, which were lightly flushed with cold.

It was a rare sight indeed, for he normally had such clear white skin; to see colour staining its unblemished perfection was bizarrely seductive. Sakura could practically hear the crunch of her teeth sinking into her bottom lip, as she gnawed away the very explicit images that danced provocatively through her mind.

Oh dear lord of god, she was decrepit to the core! Here she is, strolling through a winter paradise with her maybe-lover, and instead of enjoying the moment like a normal woman in love, all she can think about is his face, dripping with sweat and contorted in sweet ecstasy. How fucked up could she possibly be?

Noticing her escalated breathing, Sasuke glanced at Sakura from the corner of his dark eye, surprised to see her face so heavily stained with red. He knew the difference between being cold and a blush, for he had come to see the difference with his own eyes many a time before, and he couldn't help the smug satisfaction that filled him at her obvious distress. It had never occurred to him that being the cause of someone's nervousness could be this pleasing, and the male in him swooped down on the chance to cause more mischief.

''Sakura.'' The sound of her name leaving his lips snapped Sakura's attention back to earth, just in time to see Sasuke pull to a stop just ahead of her. Surprise evident on her face, Sakura looked around searchingly, trying to gauge the reason behind their abrupt pause in activity. When Sasuke leaned forward, leaving but an inch between their faces, allowing his dark bangs to tickle the flesh of her cheeks as his breath ghosted against her lips provocatively, Sakura swore her head was going to explode from the bloodrush that had settled there.

_Oh sweet mother of heaven and hell_, she screamed internally, the decibels rising to a near deafening screech on behalf of her trusty Inner self as Sasuke eyeballed her without expression. The minute his nose brushed fleetingly against hers, Sakura swore her lady-bits were going to dive headfirst into his pants whether she wanted them to or otherwise, commonsense be damned, and as she stood there, absolutely stupefied beyond belief, Sasuke leaned in just a little further, lips against the shell of her now very red ears.

He exhaled, and then spoke, amusement all too clear in the husky tone of his tenor.

''Are you colder than I thought you were, or am I just too hot for you to handle?'' Sakura's eyes widened as he pulled back, unabashedly smirking at her look of absolute surprise and disbelief before his lips split into the most gorgeous smile she had ever seen, a deep, resonant laugh following suit and widening her eyes even further. Had he... just _pranked_ her? Did he seriously _make a joke_ and then _laugh_?

If it was even possible, her cheeks darkened further, which only fuelled Sasuke's teasing laughter even more as he poked her flaring cheek with his prosthetic hand. Not even for a moment had he let her own go, opting to amplify her reasons to blush further as he toyed with the soft material of her mittens with his sensate fingertips.

The mirth in his obsidian irises was all too clear, the straight white teeth in his mouth gleaming like freshly fallen snow as he chuckled off his amusement, the smile still in place as he pulled Sakura as close as he could, leaning his forehead against hers and resting his left hand around her neck and shoulders, rooting her in her place.

They stood there like that, Sakura's sole hand gripping her chest in an attempt to slow the treacherous thumping of her wildly beating heart, for a time; Sasuke's breath warm on her cold cheeks as he toyed with the ends of her cropped hair with a hand that would never enjoy the feeling of its texture.

Sakura sucked in a breath, before she found herself frantically covering her nose in time to catch her sudden sneeze; it really was quite cold outside. Sasuke's expression visibly softened from its unhabitual mischievousness, lips curling gently upwards as he loosened the scarf from around his neck, winding the extra length of it around her shoulders and inevitably pulling her closer to his still frame.

Her emerald green orbs flickered upward, falling into the spell that his infinitely dark eyes cast over her, and for the umpteenth time, she fought back a smile that was destined to torment her chapped lips for the remainder of her days with him.

''Thank you, Sasuke-kun.''

His eyes fluttered in surprise, and he tilted his head a little, leaning back enough so that he could observe her expression from a safe distance.

''For what?'' He replied nonchalanatly, the woollen texture of his glove tickling the patch of bared skin at the back of her neck and raising the hairs on her flesh for reasons more complex than just the cold.

''For choosing to spend the day with me. And for being you.''

Surprise registered on his face, but it quickly morphed into embarrassment, as he looked off to the side, his own cheeks alight with a tinge of pink that was in no way because of the frosty air around them.

''Hn.'' He grunted quietly, and his lips pulled into a taut line as he fully removed the scarf from around his neck, wrapping it snuggly around Sakura's slim build until her face was buried in his warm, sweet scent. It was musky and wholesome, and she loved the bitter contrast it carried against his aftershave, which was wholly refreshing to her numb nostrils.

As she inhaled it deeply within herself, Sasuke readjusted his grip on her hand and continued onward down the path he had planned for them, Sakura clasping onto his warmth and allowing a grin to break over her face, hidden behind the soft fabric of his scarf. She watched his back carefully, a few steps behind him, noting with much pleasure that the tips of his ears were just the slightest bit redder than they usually were, and when he paused to allow her to match his stride with her own, she couldn't help but feel her heart swell with a love that could never be quelled.

_Without a doubt, the best first date_, she thought with a smile that was full of all of her adoration. _And surely one of **many** to come._

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**Ending Remarks:** _Just shoot me, I have the feels and they're killing me―_

_I tried to keep Sasuke as IC as possible, and I hope that I managed to do so. Please bear in mind that he has changed as a person after everything he has gone through, and has since grown from his bad experiences, so I do feel like this would be a close representation to how he would have turned out, had he not suffered such tragedy in his life._

_But never the less, he has the remnants of his usual self floating about, and that makes his embarrassment more tangible and realistic. At least to me anyways. Let's face it, it's always fun to read and write about a flustered Sasuke. *^*_

_**PLEASE REVIEW**, guys! I deeply and sincerely appreciate every follow and favourite that I get, but when there is an obvious reader-base building up and a lack of feedback to show for it, I feel incredibly disheartened. Even if it's just to say ''I liked it'', every word is precious to me! So please, please, please leave me a comment! I'd love it, and it will encourage me to write more!_

_I received a review asking about whether or not this will become M. Well, I had no plans initially, but if you would like to see my take on their first time and the like, I am happy to include that somewhere in this drabble anthology series. Leave a review, and let me know guys! I can't read minds, after all. C;_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R**_i_n-x-


	4. Kiss

**Author's Note:** _Thanks for the reviews guys! A shout-out to Fist of Fire, annesthetique, pinkshannaro, YuukiChanLove, zagoorian athena, C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only, rao hyuga 18 and especially Nagareboshi Star for their wonderful reviews! You guys rock._

_As an added note: listen to _Lauren Aquilina's_ ''**Wonder**.'' It really helps to set the tone for the fluff. *^*_

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_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Four:** Kiss

_**.**_

_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura**_

_**Categories: Romance**_

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It was entirely unexpected to be woken at the crack of dawn at the sound of a pebble bouncing off of her bedroom window. Sakura, mind fogged over with sleep, turned amidst her sheets, as if facing away from the source of her problem would help it to melt away into the embrace of the falling snow outside. There was a blessed pause upon which Sakura settled into, inertia mounting behind her glassy eyes before she drifted off once more. Until another sharp rap tapped insistently against the durable glass; closer this time.

Sitting groggily, the pinkette rubbed the sleep from her eyes, yawning into the palm of her right hand as she stretched the other above her head, rolling her spine and moaning softly at the satisfying _'crack!'_ that followed. Blinking rapidly, Sakura tossed the sheets from her legs, eyeing her window dubiously and with a hint of resentment, but she crawled over to it regardless, fumbling clumsily with the latch. Her fingers were tingling, numb from disuse and uncooperative because of it, and she cursed her faulty motor functions to hell and back as she fought for control.

When it finally came, Sakura unceremoniously pushed the old frame outwards, a vicious reprimand stinging at the end of her tongue as she opened her mouth to growl at her unwanted visitor for interrupting her rest, only to seconds later clam up in surprise when she saw Sasuke crouching on the tree branch closest to her bedroom window. He was casually flicking a smooth black stone into the air, and Sakura's eyes followed it almost hypnotically as it fell back into Sasuke's open palm, where it remained, folded beneath his fingers. She raised her gaze to meet with his, and was stunned to see his face, heavily flushed from the cold.

''Oh my―Sasuke-kun! How long have you―get in here this instant!'' Sakura exclaimed, flustered by his appearance as she held her hand out to him, beckoning him into the warmth of her home. He took heed of her plea, leaping forward onto the ledge of her little alcove before he stepped down into her room, careful not to land with his boots on her bed.

Sakura pulled the window shut, locking it in place before she slid to the edge of her bed; eyes following his figure as he surveyed the tidy space around him whilst her hands searched frantically for her silk night-robe. In only a thin singlet and her underwear, the pink haired kunoichi felt abashed and completely uncomfortable, and she wanted to take this opportunity to cover up before he actually caught an eyeful too much.

She found it, nestled precariously on the dresser across the room, and she was quick to pull it on while Sasuke observed her from his peripherals, a smirk dancing on his lips as he caught a generous peek of uncovered flesh, a little closer to her bottom than she would have liked.

Tying a messy knot at her waistline to keep the skimpy excuse of a robe in place (she officially hated Ino for reducing her to this in front of her boyfriend of three months), Sakura spun on her heel, huffing a breath out in order to disguise the little butterflies that were swelling in her stomach at having the dark haired Uchiha _in her bedroom._

This was certainly not how she had envisioned her morning playing out, not in the least bit. She shuffled nervously from one foot to the other, green eyes a little anxious and no longer weary as she found his dark irises scanning her from head to toe. She had to be quite the vision, hair mussed up like a crow's nest, dark shadows staining the hollows beneath her eyes like terrible bruises, red lines impressed on her face from restless tossing and turning.

Very attractive. She blushed at the intensity of his stare, and the colour brought her haggard appearance to life. Having worked like a dog for the last two weeks leading up to Christmas, Sakura was exhausted in every sense of the word; fatigue plagued her every molecule, and all she wished to do was sleep the tiredness away.

But all great plans are replaced with even better ones. Although it had not been her intention to start the day in this manner, already Sakura was anticipating what the rest of it had in store for her. The fact that Sasuke was here, at such an early hour, meant that he had to have come to see her specifically.

She lived out of his way, at the other end of the village, and there was no way he could merely brush it off as _''I was just passing by,''_ especially at this time. Her lips quirked into a small smile, teeth nipping at her bottom lip as he stepped forward, face neutral as he brushed his right hand against her forehead.

It was freezing, and Sakura flinched a little bit in surprise as the chill seeped into her warm flesh. Noticing this, Sasuke retracted his hand, only to have Sakura wrap her fingers around his own and place his hand against the hollow of her throat. Her warmth seeped in through his fingertips, and he splayed his large palm over the expanse of exposed skin in wonderment at its softness.

The pinkette swallowed an embarrassed gasp at the movement, but made no effort to pry his hand away, so he left it there, allowing the cold to be thawed away into nothingness by the heat of her love. He smiled a little, only a hint of awkwardness tinging the gesture as he looked into her eyes appreciatively, pleased that she was there to keep him warm when he could no longer even feel the cold around him.

Sakura ran her fingers through his hair, brushing the fresh snow from its resting place against his scalp before it had the chance to melt, before she allowed herself a gentle caress at the base of his head; her cheeks a little pink as he raised an inquisitive brow in her direction.

Never the less, he indulged her affectionate gesture and followed it with one of his own. Leaning down, Sasuke brushed the strands of hair away from her forehead with his prosthetic hand before he pressed his soft lips against her little diamond, the smile returning to his face as he felt her breath and pulse quicken under his touch.

That was the first truly intimate show of affection that he had ever given her, one that clearly defined the nature of their relationship, and as elation filled Sakura's wildly thrashing heart, Sasuke stepped back from her, his hands resting on her hips as he kept a careful distance between them. The insinuation was all too clear. It was much too soon to be jumping into anything reckless, and as much as Inner Sakura screamed to hell with propriety, Sakura agreed with his decision to take things slowly.

Neither of them were ready for anything beyond the comfortable rapport that they had steadily built up between them, and although Sasuke had shown her on several occasions that he was fully committed to her and to their relationship, he was still wary about letting her have full power over him. She understood it, almost painfully well, but it did not bother her as her friend's implied it should have, because she knew that he loved her; even if he did not say so in as many words.

Sasuke was a man of action, after all, and little gestures like this were all Sakura needed to remind herself of this unchanging fact.

''About Christmas,'' Sasuke said quietly, startling Sakura from her reverie and bringing her focus back onto him. He looked a little glum, as he gazed into her face searchingly, and she knew then that this wasn't just a social call.

''Kakashi has assigned the dobe and I on a mission, so I won't be able to spend the day with you tomorrow.'' Sasuke finished just as somberly, clearly a little annoyed that he had to break his promise with her―more worried that she would be upset with him.

He couldn't bear the thought of her being unhappy, but he knew that honesty was the best policy, and he would rather her hear it from him than from a messenger sent via their lackadaisical ex-sensei. Or worse yet, from Naruto. That idiot didn't have a shred of tact within him, after all. Sasuke felt a pained wince overtake his features as he thought fleetingly of the poor Hyuuga girl having to put up with Naruto's matter-of-fact manner of dropping bombshells on people, and a sincere wave of pity washed over him.

Sasuke shook off his ponderings, glancing down at the disheartened face of his lover, who was desperately staving off her disappointment with a weak smile that spoke volumes. Sakura knew that it wasn't his fault or intention to hurt her, and she could see the guilt tiptoeing into his expression the longer he looked into her shattering composure, so she sucked in a breath and tried her best not to pout or tear up. _It's always a random assignment_, Sakura thought benevolently. _Kakashi-sensei wouldn't just send him away if he absolutely had no other choice in the matter._

Even so, the pinkette could not fight the bitterness that welled up inside of her. She had so been looking forward to her date with Sasuke. She hadn't seen him in the two weeks that she had been shacked up in the hospital for in the hopes of this glorious day, and those hopes had all but been shattered at his news. Suddenly it seemed that all of her hard work had been for naught, for now the light of her Christmas holiday had been expunged by armory and days of ceaseless worrying.

''Sakura? Are you alright?'' Sasuke questioned her gently, his voice soft and persuasive as he tilted her gloomy face up to meet with his own. Biting her lip, Sakura nodded, swallowing heavily before she parted her lips to speak.

''I'm a little bit sad, but it's okay Sasuke-kun. I know you didn't expect any of this. Just _please_, stay safe, and watch each other's backs. I don't want a repeat performance of your last battle together.'' They both flinched, thinking back to the day when the two friends, once at odds, had ripped each other's arms off from the sheer force of their attacks, and Sakura paled when he gripped her hip a little harder with his false hand.

It served as a constant reminder, of two lives reconciled, and two lives nearly lost. Had she not arrived in time, then Sasuke shuddered to think of what would have happened. _I would have died without her_, he thought with a lingering glance into her shadowed features. _I will die without her._ Sasuke could not fathom his life without her now. She was inexplicably woven into his very DNA, and was thus irreplaceable. He couldn't envision tomorrow without her smiling face in it.

So to have so evidently hurt her, even without the intention of doing so, he had effectively hurt himself as well. He had always hated being the sole cause of her tears and her despair, and yet he seemed to have a natural talent for it. His very life was corrosive to her own, but she continued to take his burns without complaint, because she loved him so dearly that it only caused her more heartache.

Sasuke fervently wished he wasn't such a selfish creature by nature; he would have been able to let her go, to find real happiness. But he had come to understand that _he_ was that happiness, and the greedy monster that was his heart devoured her affection like a beast starved. He had also come to realise that he couldn't bear the thought of her giving that love to anyone else but him, and so he held her close to his heart, closer than anyone else had ever been to it, for fear of her escaping through his fingertips. He had discarded her once before. He would never do so again.

''The mission doesn't depart until tomorrow.'' Sasuke stated blandly, running his hands up and down against her sides as he regained her attention once more. Sakura felt her face pinkening as tingles shot up her spine at his wandering appendages brushing up against her ribcage, not failing to catch the implicit tone that he had adopted in addressing her.

''So I was thinking that we could spend today together instead.'' A hopeful glean in his dark eyes, Sasuke looked down at her, an almost shy smile on his lips as he watched for her reaction like a hawk. Sakura blushed full-force, her eyes watery and a little unfocused as she nodded enthusiastically to his proposal.

''I'd love that.'' She whispered softly, her voice thickened with emotion as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her height, nuzzling her face into the crook of his shoulder and leaving a careful kiss against the bared skin she found there.

She knew it was a bold move, but when she felt his own lips press against the top of her head, she knew that he hadn't minded. Squeezing her hips langorously between one practiced hand and one that was learning to touch again, Sasuke pulled away from her embrace, hands attached to her waist as he led her out of her bedroom and into the kitchen.

He didn't much feel like going out in that accursed winter's chill again, so he had settled for a day inside with the lovely woman in front of him, who giggled girlishly as he lifted her with ease onto the kitchenette, trapping her between his body and the wall behind them. His expression was playful, a nice change of pace from his carefully placed stoicism, and as he parted her thighs so that he could settle between them, Sakura couldn't help but admire his gusto.

They had never gone this far before. Usually it would be holding hands and hugging at most, and so Sakura felt her stomach drop into the floor when he suddenly kissed her on the tip of her nose, mischief dancing in his eyes. He had done that on purpose, specifically to get a rise out of her, and goddammit, it was working! Sakura inhaled, the breath that followed stuttered and halting as she averted her eyes to somewhere over his shoulder. He chuckled, low and soft, into her ear, pressing a fleeting kiss to her cheek before he rested his head in the warmth of her shoulder, arms wrapping around her and pulling her flush against him.

Sakura tightened her own hold around his neck, her thighs pressed against his waist as she sighed in contentment. Her flushed cheeks had not dimmed, and retained much of their heat as she held him closer still, her hands playing with the ends of his soft, spiky hair. _I could die happy now_, Sakura intoned internally, a happy swoon from her Inner in firm agreement with her musing as she felt Sasuke shift against her prone figure.

His eyes met with hers when he leaned back in her embrace, and Sakura felt her heart skip a beat when he tilted his head and timidly brought his face closer than it had ever been before. A loud grumbling courtesy of her stomach impeded his progress, and he let slip a breathy, carefree laugh at the sound, his forehead thumping against hers gently as he sighed in exaggerated exasperation, his eyes closed to Sakura's embarrassed blushing. Oh god, could her timing be _any_ worse?

Sasuke pulled away with a smirk in her direction, before he sifted through her pantries, pulling out a frying pan and some eggs, tomato and bacon and cooked up a storm. It shouldn't have surprised Sakura that he was good at cooking; he was good at everything he did. But knowing something and seeing it in practise were two very different things in and of themselves, and so Sakura couldn't help the girly fluttering of her heart as she watched him make breakfast with eloquent efficiency, her toes curling to match the growing smile on her face.

This promised to be a wonderful day. Of that, she was absolutely certain.

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The rest of her day was a blur of sweet gestures and very light ''fooling around.'' What constituted said tomfoolery was stolen pecks in every place but the mouth, only serving to build upon the mounting tension that was filling Sakura to the brim with anticipation. She didn't have high expectations for kissing so early on in their relationship, but the niggling romantic hiding in the recesses of her mind was setting up shop, so eager was she for something a little more substantial.

Sakura shook her head. It was better to pace themselves. _And besides_, Sakura thought with a flare of pink staining her flaming cheeks, _if this is the lead-up, then I can't complain._

It was late, well into the evening, and they were lying on the couch together, Sakura leaning into Sasuke's side whilst his hand rested gently against her shoulder, occasionally trailing his fingers against the soft skin―she had made it a point to bathe and dress after breakfast, because Sasuke was showing the beginnings of his desire to remove her robe and get frisky―her strappy dress gave him access too.

Sometimes he would unconsciously play with the ends of her hair, causing the butterflies in her stomach to flutter frantically into overdrive. He was lethal to her health!

They had spent a lot of time talking about trivial things, Sakura playing with his hands and laughing when he would say something particularly _him_ about how stupid Naruto was and the like, and before long, they had fallen into a companionable silence watching television.

Sakura had, at some point, drifted off in his arms, his warmth radiating softly against hers as she dozed quietly, Sasuke's dark eyes observing her sleeping form with a profound gentleness that belied his usual indifference.

_Only you_, he thought with a smile, _can make me this weak and get away with it_.

He lifted her into his arms, surprised at how light she was, before he made his way down the hallway of her apartment to her bedroom, toeing the door until it was open enough for him to slip through without obtrusion.

He lay her down amidst the messy sheets of her unmade bed, sighing as he settled his own weight alongside her. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, Sasuke noted that it was two minutes past midnight. Returning his obsidian orbs to the slumbering girl alongside him, the dark haired Uchiha felt an unrelenting compulsion overtake his usual composure. He leaned down with a trace of hesitance halting his movements, but when she sighed contentedly and turned her face towards him, his restraint broke.

Eyes heavily hooded, he pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her parted lips.

''Merry Christmas, Sakura.'' He whispered into the darkness, promising her that that gift would be given to her again in her waking hours for many years to come.

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**Ending Remarks:** _I just really like the idea of Sasuke stealing her first kiss from her okay―_

_There is something unbearably cute about it and ugh. Feels. There will be plenty of conscious kissing action, of course, but it's the little moments like these that make fluff so unbearably perfect and can we just pause and flail over Sasuke doing this in canonverse LOUD SCREAM I AM SO DONE―_

_Ahem. So yes. Fluff fluff fluff. I am happy with the overabundance of fluff. I am literally so excited to get into the more hot and heavy side of their relationship, but I am living for the cuteness right now guys, save me with your reviews―_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R**_i_n-x-


	5. Shared

**Author's Note:** _Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I greatly appreciate every single one of them. A wonderful reader by the name of _annesthetique_ made a request for some Sasuke ''courting'' action, and since I was thrilled by the prospect of it, I have chosen to use this as my prompt. This chapter is for you, anne-san!_

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_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Five:** Shared

_**.**_

_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura**_

_**Categories: Romance, Humour**_

_**Rating: T (for language)**_

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Sasuke was thoroughly frazzled. He had been back in the village all of three days, and they had been a blur of pink, blonde, green and vibrant orange. Naruto and Sakura had occupied every waking moment since his unexpected arrival home, and although it was an endearing sign of their unrelenting affection for him, the change of pace was running him into the ground.

His days before his return had been full of peace and transience, and aside from the occasional scuffle with some of the remaining nukenin lurking on the outskirts of the Hidden Villages, he had enjoyed months of quietude with only himself for company.

So returning to the hustle and bustle of Konohagakure, Christmas festivities in full-swing, was a blast from his unsavoury past. He had never liked the raucous nature of celebratory gatherings, even more so when they were related to such a miserable part of his life. Christmas was all about family.

He no longer had one to speak of, and the memories, fragile and dusty, lay dormant at the back of his mind; a niggling tormentor of unrelenting proportions. Thus the raven haired Uchiha had had legitimate reservations about dropping back to his home village. More than anything, he had been running from his ghosts, attempting to tackle them one at a time from a safe distance.

But now he had thrust himself into the thick of his past's skeletons, and they clung to his limbs and weighed him down with the trauma that had once plagued his soul so deeply that he had nearly lost his mind.

Try as he might, though, he could not help but be reminded of the team mates that he had left behind him; the loud and obnoxious dumbass who had literally smacked some sense back into him, who had believed in him even in his darkest of moments, and saved him from himself, and the pink haired med-nin who had, at some inexplicable point in time, come to mean a great deal to him.

They were the voices of reason that had urged him to turn from his path to Otogakure, turn from his need to find closure from a distance; turn towards them once more. He made his way back, the flicker of promises yet to be kept spurring him forward until he had passed through those familiar wooden gates, nostalgia washing over him as he took in his surroundings once more.

Needless to say, his chakra signal was reported to the authorities within Konoha, for Kakashi, Tsunade, his team mates and a squad of ANBU Operatives were waiting for him when he stepped through the threshold. He was unperturbed, but a little nervous at seeing Naruto and Sakura again.

They had yearned for his arrival for so many years, so he worried that he would not be able to live up to their expectations. But apparently these concerns were all unfounded, for the grins that lit up their jubilant faces said it all. Sasuke had never been a man of many words. The same could be said of his mannerisms, for he had never been one for public displays of affection.

Never the less, when Naruto and Sakura threw their arms around him, laughing through their tears, he could do little more than hold them back; a silent smile creeping onto his lips as he looked down at their heads, buried deeply in his chest.

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In the three days that Sasuke had been back, he had come to notice one thing. When Sakura took her hand in his, a small smile on her face and a blush creeping into her cheeks, his heart fluttered a little faster than it usually did.

He brushed it off as the excitement of being home with the people that meant the most to him, but when she pulled him along through the crowds of excited civilians enjoying the festive stalls that littered the streets around them, her girlish laugh tinkling softly in the air between them, he realised that this was not the case. Before then, Sasuke had never truly considered her as anything more than a dear friend, someone who he would not hesitate to risk his life protecting from danger.

So it came as a surprise to him that his feelings for her were shifting. His chest tightened whenever she smiled up at him, a warmth pooling in his gut as he watched her cheeks darken and her words slip into hasty stutters the longer he gazed into her eyes unflinchingly. Sasuke knew that he was looking at her like he usually did.

But the weight of his observations were what were changing; he was beginning to see _her_ differently.

From what Sasuke understood of beauty, he knew that Sakura was exceptionally so, having had many years to mature and grow into adulthood.

But even so, the youthful prettiness had been shed long ago, and a fragile flower had taken its place; she was nowhere near perfect just yet, but Sasuke could see the signs of her most profound aesthetic expansion beginning to appear in the deepening of her waistline, the flare of her hips, the tenuous curve of her breasts filling out her bust until the depth of her cleavage peaked out suggestively from the tops of her shirts.

Sasuke's heart jumped, startled at the turn his thoughts had taken. When Sakura had turned to him, asking if he was feeling okay, he merely grunted in response, letting the blame for his pinkening cheeks fall upon the wintry air around them.

So what if he thought she was beautiful? There wasn't anything particularly strange about that. After all, she had always been a pretty girl; just annoying to the point of near intolerance at times. Sasuke shook his head. It meant nothing that he found her attractive. Naruto did, as well as many of the men in their village, who all stopped to admire her figure as she waded amidst the throngs of bystanders suffocating the pathway ahead of them.

Somehow sharing an opinion with the rest of them, the insignificant and unworthy, grated against Sasuke's nerves, and he found himself glaring pointedly at the young men that were staring a little too indiscreetly for his tastes at the oblivious pinkette's voluptuous form. They visibly quailed at the intensity of his venomous stare, turning tail and running for the hills when they caught the faintest glimmer of crimson flickering across his obsidian irises.

_Tch. Fucking perverts._

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Three weeks into his belated return, and Sasuke found himself spending increasing amounts of time with the carefree kunoichi. Much to his surprise, he welcomed her company. Living in the district where his clan used to inhabit was unsettling, and often did he wake from nightmares detailing the events of that ghoulish night dripping with perspiration.

Of course he saw it all through clear eyes now; the tears that Itachi had shed so desperately as he ran from the only person who mattered enough for him to hide them from in the first place, the despair that had swallowed them both whole as they were lied to and deceived by those dearest to them.

It was in the wake of these truths that made the massacre itself so painful to relive, for he had to endure the pain that Itachi had struggled to uphold for so many years alone, and it hurt him like nothing else ever had. Seeing Sakura's sunny smile first thing in the morning helped to alleviate the aftershocks of his nightly interludes with death, and filled him with contentment that had long evaded him on his travels.

Had evaded him his entire life.

_I can get used to this_, he thought with a lingering glance in her direction as she talked his ear off a mile a minute, a discreet smile stealing over his features as he sat alongside her, having invited her into his apartment, with a soft expression on his face; painfully aware of the heat that her bare shoulder radiated against his own.

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Sasuke's gauge on time had slipped a little as he fought to keep up with the festivities unfolding around him. It was Christmas Eve, and he was standing off to the side of Kakashi's office, dark eyes hooded as he observed the commotion around him with bored indifference.

He had never been one for parties, but he knew that his presence was desired on part of his team mates, so the obligation to be present had reinforced his decision to participate; even if that participation was limited to acting as the aloof bystander to the mayhem quickly unfolding around him.

Naruto was blind drunk, stumbling back and forth and singing jovially, arm slung around Inuzuka Kiba and Rock Lee's shoulders as they too took part in his idiocy. Kakashi was standing about a foot away from Sasuke, his own expression exasperated as he brushed one of his hands through his hair, ruffling it roughly whilst he downed the contents of his drink so swiftly that Sasuke didn't even have the chance to blink. There went another chance at seeing the famous ex-copy nin's true face.

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head in mute disbelief, Sasuke returned his watchful gaze to the rowdy group around him. Tsunade was tipping back sake by the barrel full, Shizune and her trusty pig Tonton becoming increasingly flustered the rosier the Sannin's cheeks became.

The remainder of the Rookie Nine (Sasuke noted mildy that there were only eight of them still alive, his eyes lingering on the brunette who had shared Hyuuga Neji as a team mate with Lee; she looked a little pensive, gazing somewhere beyond his sight, and he felt sad for her loss) were in various states of cheer, one of whom the Uchiha was particularly drawn to.

Sakura was, for lack of a better word, stunning. In a knee-length dress the colour of red wine, that hugged her curves suggestively and showed hints of bare flesh in very provocative places, and black stilettos that lengthened her legs significantly, she was a vision. Sasuke couldn't help but swallow, mouth suddenly dry, as he sweeped his gaze over the bared flesh of her neck. Her hair had grown long enough to be curled and swept up into an elegant twist on the top of her head, and the dark diamond in the centre of her forehead was enhanced by the dark brush of eye-shadow that tinted her eyelids.

Her lips were painted a glossy pink, and whenever she smiled, a magnetism that had not been there previously tugged at Sasuke's gut with due force. He wanted to be beside her. That notion was strong within his mind, and several times that evening he had felt that powerful pull that led toward her. He had yet to succumb, but his will was only so strong, and the more he caught her flickering glances in his direction, the more he wanted to part the crowd and take his place alongside her. His patience was rewarding, however, as she eventually found the courage she needed―to which she had gathered from a few cups of liquid courage―to wander over to him.

There was a deep lurching in his stomach as Sakura stopped in front of him, her cheeks tinted with pink as she looked up into his face searchingly, a pouty quality to her lovely features that had tingles shooting up Sasuke's spine in response. Gazing down at her petite frame was inevitable; even with the height that her daringly high heels gave her, she was still much too short to be on par with the Uchiha's imposing stature.

Gazing, however, at the tentative slit that split her v-neck gown down the centre of her cleavage had not been a part of his plan, and once he found his eyes roaming her figure, he could not bring himself to stop.

She was very well endowed, was his first thought, his face carefully neutral as he took in the dips and swells of wanton flesh that had become Haruno Sakura, and he knew then that what he was seeing was not that of his childhood team mate, but of a grown woman.

A woman that he found startlingly attractive; that he was growing fatally attracted _to_.

Thankfully his perusal had happened relatively quickly, for Sakura had not noticed his less than casual once-over.

_In fact_, he thought with growing dread, _I think she's a little trashed..._

His musing was quickly proven to be true, for she stumbled over her own feet, her drink splashing over the front of her dress as she collided with his tense body with the elegance of a three-legged dog.

''Ngh...'' She grunted into the fabric of Sasuke's form-fitting polo-shirt, hands coming up to rest upon his stomach as she regained her bearings.

Or at least attempted to, for as fast as she had fallen into his arms had she passed out, her head lolling as she began to slide down his tall frame, straight into the erogenous zone below his hips.

Panicked and more than a little flustered at the pinkette's rapid descent into uncharted territory, Sasuke grabbed a hold of her wiry arms, noting the steely ripples of muscle that lay under the deceptively thin limbs, before he hauled her into his embrace. Settling her against him and running a terse hand through his hair, Sasuke let out an exasperated sigh.

Was he really entertaining the idea of having feelings for this pink haired lightweight? At the feeling of her arms winding around his back and her cheek nuzzling into the soft material of his shirt, Sasuke felt his heart stutter, his answer given to him in the form of an unconscious embrace.

In a way the analogy was comparable. After all, both _his_ feelings and _her_ embrace had snuck up on him with him being none the wiser, and as he hefted her into the cradle of his arms and carried her back to her apartment, her face pressed intimately against the exposed skin at the hollow of his shoulder, he found that he didn't mind not knowing everything for once.

He just relished having her warmth pressed within his, his mouth smiling for no one else but her as he melted into the darkness of the night.

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''_You_. What I want is _you_, Sakura.'' Sasuke stated with conviction, exasperation at her guileless naivety chipping away at the last of his patience.

She was a smart girl. Surely even _she_ could grasp at what he was hinting at!

All the time that they had spent together, all the hints that he had been subtly dropping; he carried her home on multiple occasions after she got drunk and passed out. He had subdued the leering glances that the hormonal dirt-bags in this village had been sending her way more times than he could count. He had even entertained her whimsy for holding hands and hugging in public countless times without comment, _and she still didn't get it?_

Was it really so unbelievable that he was admitting to his feelings for her, after everything that had developed between them?

Sakura's apple green eyes were wide and watery as she gazed into his own, her face the picture of shock as she pieced his confession together. He squeezed her hand, determined to get this right. She _had_ to know, was entitled to know, what he _really_ wanted of her, of _them_, before she got their lines crossed once again.

''Be mine.''

Sasuke had to swallow the sudden wave of nervousness that had overcome him as those words became audible to the both of them. More than anything, he feared rejection, even when she had more than enough reason to do so without pause for thought. He had hurt her deeply, after all, and wounds of the heart were the hardest to heal. His own experiences had taught him that lesson ruthlessly.

Embarrassment was creeping up on him, heating up the back of his neck as he fought to keep the terrible blush at bay as he observed Sakura's awed features light up like a Christmas tree.

His near tangible mortification at having to be so upfront about something so personal was completely worth the absolute joy that had overtaken Sakura's expression, and as she reached up to cup his cheek with her soft, mitten-covered hand, all of his doubts about sharing this part of himself with her were erased.

Leaving behind a slate as clean as freshly fallen snow as she fed his soul with the words that he had been waiting to hear, for as long as he could remember the feeling of being loved by another.

''I've been yours from the very beginning, Sasuke-kun.''

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**Ending Remarks: **_Okay, not so much on the courting side, but I'll get to that eventually. LOL._

_I thought I would tie this POV change into _Confession,_ since it's always nice to have a little context of the events prior to the big event itself. I kept it short because Sasuke is a man of privacy as well as of few words, so I figured that he was best expressed in exactly this manner._

_I always love writing from his perspective, so do look forward to more from his side of their relationship. *^*_

_I hope the lack of fluff is not disappointing. I kind of wanted to venture into Sasuke's head, and it seems I went a little too far, because sweet is kind of a hard bargain to grasp for in there. ;;3;;_

_Anyhow, look forward to the next one! Please leave a review on your way out! It will only take a moment of your time guys! Thanks for stopping by._

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R**_i_n-x-


	6. Meeting

**Author's Note:** _Once again, you all have my thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I really do appreciate it guys. (:_

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_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Six:** Meeting

_**.**_

_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Haruno Mebuki, Haruno Kizashi**_

_**Categories: Romance, Humour, Family**_

_**Rating: T (for language)**_

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Sakura shifted from one foot to the other, her nerves steadily mounting as she stood outside of her childhood home, tension leaving her rigid as she swallowed inaudibly. Doomsday had arrived, and she was about ready to slam her head into the ground and bury herself beneath the frozen sleet at her feet.

She could practically _taste_ the impending embarrassment that was surely to be unleashed upon her in the wake of these... less than desirable circumstances. Sakura knew, oh how she knew, what her father was like; on a normal day he came off as unhinged and batshit crazy, living off of her torment like a leech sucking her blood dry. Under the influence? God help her now.

Haruno Kizashi had always had a tendency to run his mouth off when he was inebriated, and it had always been at its worst during the festive season. He could have put the sake-guzzler Tsunade into a coma with the amount he could safely consume before he blacked out; and that was where the trauma began.

Ever heard of the phrase ''brain to mouth filter?'' Yeah, well Kizashi didn't have a filter full-stop, so one can only imagine the kind of mortifying stories, or worse yet, _terrible jokes_ he would concoct under such circumstances.

The pinkette was sure that had he not been her father, and had she not loved him to death, that he would be the literal bane of her existence, and would be the cause of her demise because parenting was the one thing in his life that was actually volatile in practice. He may seem like a feeble bystander upon first impressions, but he was anything but. At the age of four, he had encouraged her to play with the ANBU soldier dogs, who had been trained to react and intercept any and all threats in the most violent ways possible.

''It builds character!'' He had exclaimed to his furious wife Mebuki, all the while throwing his head back and laughing as Sakura wailed over having been rough-housed by said summons, who had had the decency to look shamefaced as they bowed down into the dirt alongside the sobbing toddler. Sakura shuddered at the memory.

Yes, he was a wonderful man. In theory. But you had to dig through _a lot_ of crap before you could find his centre, and she was terrified that her boyfriend would be unable to see past his idiotic exterior. In a lot of ways, Kizashi was Sasuke's complete opposite, and Sakura feared that they wouldn't be able to connect because of this difference in attitude and general state of being. Sasuke was quiet, and as much as he had admittedly changed since his return to Konoha, was still quite the antisocial brooder; her father was buoyancy itself, more suited to the life of a bachelor than that of a married man raising a teenage daughter.

But naturally, Kizashi had had the good cheer to _insist_ that Sakura bring her quote ''aspiring significant other'' unquote to meet them before Christmas broke out into full swing in the Haruno household. It was one of the genuine moments of parenting that had been brought upon by paternal protectiveness, but that only caused Sakura's anxiety to skyrocket even further. What kind of evil was her father scheming, if he was the one inviting the last of the Uchiha Clan to their home?

_Nothing good_, she thought with a sneer. _He's always like this, especially at the mention of Sasuke-kun._ Sakura knew that Kizashi was dubious about Sasuke, for the very essence of his existence had been a cause for heartache for her in the past. He would be a terrible father if Sasuke's indiscretions hadn't bothered him, or influenced the way in which he perceived him. And more than anyone else, Sasuke knew this.

He knew how important it was to prove to her parents that he could take care of her. That his feelings for her were completely sincere, and unshakable. When Sakura turned to look up at him, he was already searching her face for any remnants of doubt. He would find none. Sakura smiled up at him, squeezing his right hand as she turned to face the ominous pathway ahead. Sweat began to gather on her forehead. Sasuke linking their fingers together helped to soothe her racing pulse, as she flashed him a grateful grin in response.

''Are you ready to do this, Sakura?'' Sasuke intoned softly, not a shred of panic or nervousness on his handsome face as he locked gazes with her. Obsidian was reflected off of emerald, and Sakura allowed herself a moment of respite in those dark, endless eyes of his, before she nodded in affirmation.

''Let's get this charade over with, Sasuke-kun.''

And so it was then that Sakura led them towards their collective doom, her heart rate rocketing as the door opened, an impetuously tipsy Kizashi imposing his stature in the very threshold beyond. Although he was a tall man, next to Sasuke, who had grown to intimidating heights, Kizashi seemed frail in comparison; it didn't help that the Uchiha was solidly built from head to toe, making for quite the show of physical and psychological strength. Sakura tensed even further when her father, taken aback in his liqoured up stupor by the sheer mass of man that effectively disrupted his view of the world outside of his home, had to raise his head to lock eyes with her carefully stoic lover.

Cobalt blue clashed with peerless obsidian, and as Sakura stood there like a fish out of water, unsure of how to break the icy wall that had built up between her two most important men, Kizashi opened his mouth to speak. Of course, nothing good came out of it.

''Honey, our daughter is dating a butch cross-dresser!'' Sakura gawked at her father, all colour draining from her face as she felt Sasuke's hand grip hers with enough force to shatter bone.

''Papa!'' She screeched angrily, tears of embarrassment quickly filling her eyes as she glared daggers into the side of his flushed face. He had definitely had one too many today, that was for fucking sure. Kizashi seemed unperturbed by the menacing death stare that Sasuke's narrowed eyes were shooting in his direction, as he merely tilted his head to the side and smiled broadly at the two of them (with a little more malice in his cutting grin when he directed it at the brooding Uchiha.)

''I'm just fucking with you!'' He exclaimed boisterously, before he threw his head back in that signature manner that dictated that a manic laugh would soon follow. Sakura was not disappointed, as he did just that, cackling with childish glee at the murderous looks on his daughter and boyfriend's faces, before he clapped Sasuke on the shoulder; the slight spasm twitching across his face enough to indicate that the gesture had not been gentle.

''Quickly, now, get in here before you both freeze your tits off.'' Sakura had to pump a little chakra into the hand that was joined with Sasuke's in order to keep him from lunging for her father's throat, and the ever observant cage-rattler caught the movement. As was to be expected, he could not help but to voice his tasteless commentary.

''Got him on a short leash, have you baby girl? Good, I like that my princess wears the pants in this relationship. Might teach the pretty boy to man up a little, instead of just gouging holes in the back of my head with his creepy conjunctivitis―I meant _kekkei genkai_.'' Kizashi coughed into the palm of his hand, before smiling in that good-natured way that belied his snarky rudeness.

''Kizashi, where the hell are your manners, you old coot?'' Sakura had never been so relieved to see her mother so cross at her father. Mebuki stepped into the hallway, making short work of slapping her idiotic husband upside the head before she shoved him into the nearest wall.

Sakura had to suppress her smile, but she noted with a tickle of pleasure that Sasuke was openly wearing an amused smirk as he watched the Haruno matriarch beat some sense into her drunkard of a patriarch.

_So that's where she gets it from_, Sasuke thought with a flare of newfound respect for the petite blonde. Mebuki, having dumped Kizashi on the floor and discarded her vehemence with him, made her way towards them, a little starry eyed as she gazed up at the quiet raven haired Uchiha with parted lips. She studied him for a mere moment before a girlish smile stole across her features and instantly made her appear ten years younger; the expression was one he had grown all too accustomed to as a child.

When his mother had taken him, well, anywhere, he would be coddled by women of all denominations; young to old, they would flock around him like moths drawn to the flame, cooing over how beautiful he was. Mebuki wore a similar brand of acceptance on her face. In laymens terms, she was smitten with him.

''Sakura-chan, where on _earth_ did you find this gorgeous young man, and why have you been hiding him for so long?'' Her cheeks a little flushed, Mebuki looked back and forth between the two of them, unsure of who she should greet first.

Sakura giggled at the fire in her mother's eyes as she fixed her unwavering stare on Sasuke's face, and to his credit, he didn't blanch or shy away from her unabashed ogling, even though Sakura could read the tension in his eyes all too clearly. He had never been overly comfortable when people paid him unwanted attention, after all, but he did not want to come off as rude when he was meeting these people for the very first time.

''My goodness, what a catch you are, dear boy!'' Mebuki exclaimed as she circled the two of them in a state of absolute awe, her hands eventually coming out to gently cup the sides of Sasuke's face. They were roughened from the tedium of housework, but there was a softness folded amidst the creases and wrinkles that made Sasuke think unwittingly of his own mother. Would her hands be similar to the touch, had she still been alive?

An unpleasant twist in his gut warned Sasuke to tread no further upon treacherous waters; reminiscing on what he no longer had in this world would only serve to dampen his mood and ruin the first impression he had yet to build between Sakura's parents. And as they were the most important people in her life, he had to be sure to get along with the both of them, no matter how irritating he found her father to be.

''It's a pleasure to meet you, Haruno-san.'' Sasuke stated softly, his voice unyielding and powerful none the less as he bowed his head to her, resting his prosthetic hand over her right hand, which had yet to drop from his cheek. His sooty eyes were hooded, and the natural charisma that had been ingrained into him as a child of the Uchiha main household was exuded without thought.

Sakura knew that he was aware of the effect he had on women―knew it well enough due to the effect he had on her on an every second basis. So when he switched on the charm, she knew that her mother had effectively lost a pointless battle. If she had ever for even a second entertained the prospect of not liking him before then, well she had no control over her fate now. She was hopelessly charmed, and the small but sincere smile that he gave her in that moment completely swept her off her feet.

''Oh my lord, Sakura-chan, you've reeled in a keeper, that's for sure!'' Mebuki swooned with a bright smile in her daughter's direction, before she took Sasuke by the hand and led him into the living area, one hand over her mouth as she checked him out up close without a trace of discretion. Leaving Sakura to deal with the slumped mess that was her festively drunk father.

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, the pink haired medic stomped her way over to him, hoping that the thumping would set off one of his famous hangovers. _At least then he'd be sober, and a little more agreeable_, Sakura mused with a terse grunt, hefting her father into a sitting position against the wall.

She raised her hands with the intent of dispelling the foul substance from his system, only to have them grasped firmly in the palms of her father's. They were coarse from years of hard manual labour, and in another life Sakura knew that they would have been lethal on the battlefield. Kizashi already had the cutting personality to match any foe head on without so much as a flinch, now he just needed the training and the skills to fight.

''You know that I love you, don't you, princess?'' He intoned somberly, surprisingly lucid even after the beating he had taken courtesy of his not so smitten life partner.

''Of course I do. Sometimes I wish you didn't love me _so_ much. Saves me the embarrassment of having to face my boyfriend after this knowing that he hates the shit out of your guts.'' Sakura responded curtly, wrapping her fingers around his and sighing softly in fatigue. This man made her so weary sometimes. Kizashi had the decency to look shamefaced, blue eyes searching her face for some sign of disappointment or anger.

He found none, which made him smile from the heart. He never had liked being the cause of Sakura's embarrassment or discomfiture. It was just the only way he could show her that he loved her without restraint; he didn't care what others thought of him.

As long as this beautiful young woman would tolerate him and his tendency towards bullshit, he was content. ''I know you love this boy, Sakura. Have known it for years now. What I worry about,'' he started softly, so that only she could hear him, ''is whether or not he will be the cause of your heartbreak once again. I remember better than anything the day when Kotetsu and Izumo brought you back home to me.'' Kizashi visibly scowled at the memory, as if that would expunge it from existence.

''You were more broken than I had ever seen you. Not one of my shitty jokes could cheer you up, and no words shared between your mother and I could help to heal your heart.''

Sakura felt her heart clench in her chest as she watched a multitude of emotions flicker across her father's face; anger, wretchedness, despair, hesitance (_to accept him_, Sakura realised with a start. _Hesitance to accept Sasuke-kun._)

''I don't want him to think he can get away with walking all over it like it's a one-stop doormat. You are far too precious to be broken by the likes of him again, Sakura.'' The use of her name, in all seriousness, caused tears to swell behind her eyelids, and she frantically blinked them away. Kizashi cupped her face in his hands, thumbs catching her falling tears and wiping them away into the depths of her skin. His expression was morose, and it became all too clear to Sakura why he was so plastered in the first place. Irrespective of the festive season, and regardless of his love for recreational drinking, Kizashi was anxious about facing the sole cause of her years of longing and heartache.

He did not know how to approach the man who had hurt his daughter so much that it had left lasting scars on her heart and mind for many years after his defection, without hurting Sakura further in the process. She knew he wanted to try; try to see Sasuke for who he was now, rather than focus on the man he had once been, but it was hard. No father would ever want to see their child suffer at the hands of love, and what he feared most of all was Sakura becoming a broken wreck once more should Sasuke's affections not carry any true weight.

Sakura shook her head, resting her forehead against his before speaking through a voice thickened with emotion.

''I know, papa. I know that he hurt me, hurt me in ways that I thought I could never recover from. But he's changed. Before now, Sasuke-kun suffered every waking moment of his life, bearing the burden of a family that had been stolen from him in the most abominable way imaginable.'' He flinched at that, a tug of guilt settling inside of him as he thought of a little boy, lost, distraught and terribly alone in the world, with no blood ties to connect him to love or joy anymore, and suddenly his respect for Sasuke's painstaking efforts of change had grown tenfold.

''Back then I couldn't understand it at all. But when he left, it felt like he had taken half of me away with him; I couldn't function without it, just like I couldn't without him in my life. And yes, there were many times where I cursed him to hell and back as I cried tears that would never be acknowledged. There was even a time when I thought I could set us both free of our torment. But I couldn't go through with it because I loved him. I really love him, papa. Please see that. Try to understand where he has come from.'' Sakura murmured gently, pressing her soothing green chakra into her father's skull so as to remove any final traces of alcohol from his system.

That done, Sakura helped him to his feet, folding her arms around his waist in a fierce hug that caused a swell of joy to fill Kizashi's heart.

''I love him as much as I love you papa. And by all accounts, that means _infinitely.''_

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''Well now, Sasuke-san. What say you? Is he stubborn to a fault or what?'' Mebuki said with a sigh, a small smile on her face as she leaned against the wall opposite to Sakura and her husband alongside the ever-silent Uchiha. She had all but cornered him into eavesdropping on their conversation the minute they were out of sight, and try as he might to be honest and respectful of their privacy, he couldn't help but feel enlightened at the revelations of the father-daughter pep-talk.

He had known all too well how much he had hurt Sakura in his absence, but he had never expected that pain to have carried on to her family as well.

He had all but forgotten what it was like to have others hurt for one's own suffering, after all, so he had never really spared a second thought to her parents. Guilt bubbled to the surface of his thoughts as he rested his full weight against their blindspot, eyes suddenly weary as he absorbed the seriousness of his crimes against the Haruno family. When a gentle but firm hand squeezed his bicep affectionately, Sasuke turned his gaze upon the small blonde next to him.

Mebuki's smiling eyes spoke volumes, and he knew then that at least one of the two parents had forgiven him.

But it wasn't her that he had to worry about from the start.

After all, father's are especially overprotective and painfully difficult to relate to, and being the quiet man that he was, Sasuke was honestly worried about whether or not he could reconcile with Kizashi before the day was through.

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The day had progressed quite painfully on Sasuke's part. Although he got along exceptionally well with Mebuki (he just had a way with women), it was another matter entirely where Kizashi was concerned. They were like water and oil, two substances that were destined to never meet eye to eye. Mix well they did not. It wasn't for any lack of trying.

Sasuke was polite and responded astutely to small-talk when the situation called for it, but there just wasn't any tack bringing the two men more or less together. So it was with a heavy heart that Sakura excused herself to help her mother in the kitchen to prepare dinner for the four of them, leaving a very tense Sasuke alone with an equally uncomfortable Kizashi. For several excruciating moments, they just sat across from each other, sitting in mirroring _seize_ positions that were growing more uncomfortable by the second.

It was Kizashi who broke the prolonged silence between them, a gruff sigh leaving his lips before he flopped back on his ass, legs sprawled out a little for comfort's sake as he looked up at the banisters overhead.

''A word, if you will.'' He muttered sternly, bringing his gaze back to the eloquently postured Sasuke, who met his eyes with a fixed determination that brought a slight smile to the elder man's features.

''So you're the upstart that broke my darling girl's heart.'' Kizashi quipped sagely, a tint of menace lurking in his tone as he watched the Uchiha heir stiffen in response.

''Looks like I hit a sore spot. Had my daughter not proclaimed her undying love for you, I would have beaten you six ways from fucking Sunday for hurting her so much. I might not be a ninja, but I'm sure you are aware that a father's wrath reigns supreme on the battlefield.''

Sasuke could only bow his head in subservience, a gesture of sincerity that was not overlooked by Kizashi.

''I can tell that you're a proud man, raised by good parents and not without morals. It's a shame about your circumstances,'' Sasuke fought the urge to bite his lip at the mention of his deceased clan members, and listened intently as the crux of Haruno Kizashi's distaste was revealed.

''But I won't tolerate you using that as an excuse to gallavant about and walk all over my daughter's feelings for you whenever you feel it convenient. She's only human, and delicate as china. It took me years to glue the shattered fragments of her heart back together again, and I will not hesitate to remove her from your life should you ever cause her hurt like that again.'' Kizashi's blue eyes flashed with fatherly defiance, daring Sasuke to challenge his authority with his own.

Instead, Sasuke took to bowing down, bangs hanging loosely in front of his face as he responded to Kizashi's threat with as much humility as he could.

''The greatest regret of my life was hurting Sakura in the way that I did. At that time of my life, nothing but vengeance mattered to me. I had nothing else to live for.'' Sasuke slipped down even lower, hands in front of his head as he continued, eyes staring fixedly at the tatami mat beneath his knees. ''But I do now. I live for _her_. I can't imagine my life without her in it. She is my world's greatest joy, and it would mean the world to her, to me, if we could reconcile and learn to get along.''

Sasuke had never been a man of many words, and thus articulating his feelings, especially to his lover's father of all people, was incredibly trying. Never the less, it seemed as if his words had thawed away any lingering resentment in Kizashi's body, for he had visibly relaxed, tension flying away with his resounding laughter as he once again clapped Sasuke on the shoulder; this time, with the care that a father would unleash upon his son.

Fleetingly, Fugaku's face danced across his vision, and Sasuke's chest tightened in response.

''For an uptight pretty boy who could very easily become a cross-dresser and get away with it, you have a way with words. We may still have some things to say to one another, so I think it's best I keep you close for the time being.'' Sasuke scowled at the mention of his ''androgynous'' aesthetic, spurning on Kizashi's teasing commentary even further.

''After all, as the saying goes, always keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer; and you, my boy, are number one on my hit list if you _ever_ try out your moves on my perfect little angel.'' Kizashi's sinister smile was enough to even put Sasuke on edge, as he swallowed perfunctly, expression carefully neutral as Sakura's father began to regale him with tales of castration and death by projectile poisoning should he ever so much as catch a hint of Sasuke's wandering hands on his daughter's virginal body.

He had never been so mortified in his life.

* * *

***.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.***

* * *

Kizashi watched as his daughter left hand in hand with the thoroughly exasperated Uchiha, a small smile creeping, unbidden, onto his face. Mebuki came to a stop alongside him, intertwining their fingers together and leaning into his side as she looked up into his eyes searchingly.

''You like him, don't you honey?'' She was painfully perceptive, _as always_, he thought, with a twitch. But he couldn't deny her claim either.

''To have suffered so clearly and yet to love so profoundly... He's a strong one, that Sasuke. I'll give him credit for that.'' He paused, evidently in thought, before a wicked smirk lifted on his lips, and Mebuki could only sigh at the familiar sight of a man plotting to usurp his daughter's happiness for the sake of his own amusement.

''But seriously, hon, that kid would make for a _scary_ _looking tranny―_did you get _a look_ at _that hair_? He's a chicken's _asshat_! Who'd have thought Sakura was into _beautiful_ men that have _two_ assholes instead of _just the one_?''

This would be a _long_ night for Haruno Mebuki, of that she was absolutely certain.

* * *

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* * *

Sakura shivered in the cold, pulling closer to Sasuke's side as he led her down the pathway towards her apartment. Early evening was setting in, the golden rays of dusk deepening into twilight as she adjusted her grip on Sasuke's gloved hand. Puffs of air crystallised around her face, and try as she might, Sakura could not withhold the urge to sneeze.

She did so into the palm of her remaining hand, and Sasuke paused mid-stride to send her a pointed stare. He had offered her his coat and scarf for extra warmth, but she had stubbornly declined, green eyes defiant (_much like her father's_, Sasuke thought with an amused smile, _one of **many** traits that they have in common_) as she locked gazes with him.

Without a moment's thought, he unwound the navy blue scarf from around his neck, wrapping it securely around Sakura's protesting shoulders before he once again took her hand in his, striding forward with a sense of purpose that surprised the pinkette. After she had returned to his side with her mother, laying out the dishes for dinner on the kotatsu and urging the two men to join them, she had noticed that there had been less animosity between them.

They had been talking―well her father had been doing all of that; Sasuke had merely listened, a little paler than he usually was as he met her eyes with a trace of panic in his own―when she had come back into the room, and it was clear to Sakura that whatever had been said between them while she was tacftully out of earshot had done them a world of good. Smiling, she squeezed Sasuke's hand, the expression broadening into a grin as he squeezed back almost unconsciously, his footfalls echoing in harmony with her own.

Sakura's eyes widened when she realised that they had taken a different turn down the winding streets of Konohagakure than the usual one that led back to her place, but Sasuke's stride did not slow at all. He was driven by a force that was beyond her sight, and so she held on with renewed vigor, trailing after him as he took her down one of the paths that led to the outskirts of the village.

Confused, Sakura sidled up to Sasuke's side, intent on questioning him, when he pulled to a sudden halt. Stunned and nearly stumbling over her own feet, Sakura stopped when caught by two sturdy arms, her own pressing intimately into the soft fabric of Sasuke's black polo shirt.

''Thank you, Sasuke-kun.'' Sakura exclaimed with a grateful smile, and he returned it with a gentle one of his own, before his gaze extended its reach to somewhere over her shoulder. The forlorn quality that his countenance had adopted spurned Sakura to turn in the direction that he was facing, and she came face to face with the village cemetery.

Her emerald irises widened significantly as he carefully linked their fingers together and pulled her along, leading her down a path that his feet had trodden upon countless times before. He weaved expertly through thousands upon thousands of grave markers, his body remembering more so than his mind his destination as he came to an eventual stop in front of several affluent gravestones, all of which bore the Uchiha insignia.

And there they were, the esteemed names of the Uchiha clan main househould. _Uchiha Fugaku_―patriarch; leader; loving husband and father. _Uchiha Mikoto_―matriarch; devoted housewife; loving wife and mother. _Uchiha Itachi_―successor to the Uchiha Clan; prodigal son; loving elder brother. A true hero.

The weight of this gesture did not escape Sakura, whose eyes misted over with tears as she watched Sasuke kneel down, placing a tender hand against the names engraved upon the polished stones of his family and smiling from the depths of his heart as he addressed them.

''Otou-san, kaa-san, aniki... I'm sorry for not visiting recently. But don't worry, it's for a good reason. There's someone... that I think you ought to meet. Someone irreplaceable to me. Someone you would be proud to call family.''

He looked up at her then, eyes soft as he held out a hand to her. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she took it, kneeling into the thick layer of snow and brushing her hands over the names of his sleeping family, familiarising herself with them as she opened her mouth in greeting.

Her hand gripping Sasuke's all the while.

''It's a pleasure to meet you all. Finally.''

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**Ending Remarks: **Note to self―_don't listen to _the GazettE's_** ''Guren''** (my fave band of thirteen precious years, might I add) when you're supposed to be writing humourous stuff. By the time I got to the end, I was bawling buckets, and it was only meant to be a sweet fluff scene to boot oh god―_

_Sorry this was a little late. I got lost on the path of life. Christmas is a busy time, after all._

_I hope you all enjoyed this one! Please leave a review, for the sake of this weepy idiot sitting behind her secondary laptop. ;;3;;_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R**_i_n-x-


	7. Gift

**Author's Note:** _I'm so, so sorry for not updating yesterday! I didn't anticipate getting sick, so naturally, contemplating sitting down and writing something cohesive and worthy of your time was not on the top of my priorities. Sickness aside, here I am with the promised chapter! Thank you all for your reviews. They inspire me. All the ensuing fluff is for you!_

* * *

_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

* * *

**Seven:** Gift

_**.**_

_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura**_

_**Categories: Romance**_

_**Rating: K**_

* * *

Sakura awoke to the piercing shrill of her phone ringing. Not entirely the most pleasant way to brave the bitter chill of the morning, and it showed in the extreme curl of displeasure that twisted across her cracked lips. Never the less, Sakura shoved the doona from her warm body, shivering as the cold air seeped into her bones through her pyjamas. Whoever was calling so bloody early had better be bleeding to death or near-comatose, or she would climb through the land-line and make them that way herself.

Shuffling into her fluffy bear slippers, the pinkette made her way down the hallway of her apartment, tugging on her warmest night-robe in the process and sniffling against the frigid air that was currently launching its assault against her senses. In some ways, she really hated the festive season. The snow was great to look at behind a glass wall, but having to endure its mushy chill was more than she could handle on most days.

She had never liked the cold. It was a blatant reminder of the feelings that had taken up residence within her after a certain raven haired Uchiha had effectively defected from her life as she knew it, and as much as she claimed she had moved past it, there were times when the winter wonderland around them served as a niggling reminder of her depression. But these were feelings that only surfaced when she was amidst one of her black moods; it was safe to say that she was pessimistic, but not outright cynical, at this time. Given her untimely awakening, it was to be expected.

Almost stomping when the pitch of her phone's ringing breached an all new decibel, Sakura all but ripped the infernal device from its strategic placement on the wall by her fridge, about to rip a new one out of her thoughtless caller, when a deep, resonant voice crackled through the fragile line between them.

''_Sakura_.'' She stiffened at the sound of her name from that all too familiar mouth, but the smile that broke across her face brightened her terrible mood instantaneously. He always had this effect on her.

''Sasuke-kun! How are you? Is anything the matter?'' Sakura exclaimed chirpily, her green eyes dancing at the unexpected surprise. Talk about a wake-up call. Sasuke had left on his travels once again, having stopped in to check in on her while he was in the area. He was a thoughtful boyfriend, worrying about her state of health and general wellbeing constantly while he was absent from her life.

Monitoring her aside, he derived a genuine amount of pleasure out of seeing her face light up like a newly lit Christmas tree whenever he strode back through their village's gates. It made the many months away from her side bearable, for as much as he needed closure, he also missed her and the rest of their team greatly.

Not that he would ever admit that to the males of their impromptu family.

No way in hell.

Sakura gnawed on her bottom lip, listening intently as Sasuke responded with a curt ''_Nothing really. I just wanted to hear your voice_.'' Inner Sakura swooned at the gentle tenor of his voice as it echoed through the headset, and if she knew any better, Sakura swore she could feel his embarrassed blush carrying through the land-line as well.

It was hard to gauge from his voice alone, but Sakura had come to know his gestures and habitual mannerisms very well in the past eighteen months that he had been courting her for. When he was feeling a little shy, his cheeks would become tinged with a light dusting of pink, and he would avert his gaze elsewhere, as if the movement would take away the sting of his humiliation.

Naturally every sweet nothing that he gave her was sincere and from the heart, but his head was still catching up with the rest of his changed aspects, and thus he was prone to becoming awkward when he was attempting to woo her.

Sakura found it incredibly endearing, and she grew more and more besotted with his natural charisma with every waking moment that passed her by. She couldn't have loved anyone more than she loved him, and as she flopped down onto her couch, burying her smile within the soft folds of the cushions that lay discarded up on it, she couldn't have believed it more.

His scent lingered there, slowly fading in the wake of his weeks of absence, but Sakura did not let it bother her too much. He would return long before his groove on her couch had shifted under her weight, and that thought alone motivated her more than anything else in the world.

''What have you been doing lately, Sasuke-kun? Been anywhere interesting?'' Sakura questioned with great interest, doing her best to extend their time together by whatever means she could. As much as she loved his fables and witty recollections of battles and quaint little towns that had yet to be mapped out in their official data logs, all Sakura really cared about was hearing his voice, soothing and quiet and oh so beautiful to her ears.

''_I arrived in a small village outside of Hoshigakure last night. The innkeeper was kind enough to give me a room, free of charge, in exchange for my services around the place. Apparently there are nukenin too stubborn to return to their villages causing trouble for him, so I was about to head out and scout the area for their whereabouts._'' Sasuke explained tersely, tone carefully bereft of inflection as he went into the nitty-gritty of his recent travels.

Apparently the snowfall had not touched the land leading through to Hoshi, and so the weather was pleasant enough that he could don his usual ninja garb. Sakura smiled at that. She knew Sasuke could weather most situations without so much as a sound resembling complaining, but she was also aware that he liked feeling free to fight should the need arise. Heavy winter attire did not help in overcoming the enemy, after all.

''_I took the opportunity to call you before I leave, since I don't know when I'll be able to gain access to a phone after today._'' It was as clear as day that Sasuke was going to dispatch of the nukenin and then head off to his next destination. A bitter pang tugged at Sakura's heart, but she swallowed it with a smile that was almost crestfallen at the idea of not hearing his voice for a while.

_He has more important things to do than just humour my need to hear from him_, she thought with a derisive sneer. _I should feel blessed that he takes the time at all just to drop by when he's in town._

But even though Sakura believed with all of her heart that she was satisfied with just having him in her life, sometimes the nagging voice in the recesses of her mind would dispute her contentment with a sudden wave of sadness. She missed him terribly, and all the selflessness in her heart could not squash the selfishness that lingered there. She wanted him by her side always.

Logic be damned, she wanted him here, in her living room, lounging on the couch and playing with the ends of her hair while they watched television.

She saw him everywhere she went. He had made an inextricable niche in her comfortable little world, and now her whole universe revolved around his presence. Without him in it, suddenly her world was a little smaller, and a hell of a lot darker.

Sakura shook away her fanciful musings with a pinch to her thigh. There was nothing to gain from her moping over his absence. After all, what mattered most at the end of the day was that he would always come back to her in the end. Always, and without fail.

''_...kura? Sakura, are you still there?_'' Sasuke's voice was still quiet, but tinged with anxiety. She had been awfully silent for a while now, and perhaps, he thought with an unpleasant start, she was hurt in some way.

Before he could become unhinged with worry, however, Sakura perked up, smiling softly at the open concern lacing his tone as she replied without a shred of her inner turmoil touching her voice.

''Yeah, Sasuke-kun, I'm still here. No need to worry.''

A relieved sigh sounded almost imperceptibly on the other end of the line, and Sakura's heart swelled with love at the sound. He really was too sweet for his own good, even if it was over little things like this. Of course, she was the only one that ever saw this affectionate side of him, which only furthered her feelings for him. No one would ever know the depths of Uchiha Sasuke's love until they were the recipient of it.

''_That's good_.'' Sasuke stated simply, but there was an underlying emphasis on those two words that had butterflies churning in Sakura's stomach.

''_Well, I should probably let you go now..._'' Sasuke trailed off, an apologetic nuance to his resonant baritone as he drew to a close their much too short interaction.

Sakura felt a tug deep in her gut, dispelling the butterflies and replacing them with lead. Go figures that she had wasted the precious time on the phone with him lost in thought. She berated herself, digging her fingers into her upper arm until she was sure that angry crescent moons would be left there to bruise starkly against her soft pallor.

_Idiot! Moron! Retard!_

''Ah, sure, Sasuke-kun. I'll let you go kick some rogue shinobi ass.'' She laughed a little, the sound hollow and lacking the usual verdant cheer that was so implicit in her everyday laughter. Sasuke was as observant as ever, picking up on it without really registering that he had done so to begin with. He had come to know her too well this last year and a half, better than he had ever known anyone, and unease prickled unpleasantly beneath his skin.

He never liked making her unhappy. If he could avoid it, he would never leave her side. But the ever-present darkness inside of his heart would sneak up on him without warning, and then his desire to move on, to explore the world he had helped to rebuild alongside Naruto, would resurface with a vengeance. It was in his blood now. He could not deny its calling.

''_Get some sleep, Sakura. I'm sorry I woke you so early_.''

''Don't apologise, Sasuke-kun! You're the only person in the world that I would ever ditch sleep for!'' Sakura exclaimed fervently, the spark back in her voice once more. Sasuke smiled. He really couldn't be more smitten with her than he was in that moment.

Sakura inhaled, readying herself for his goodbye. She would hear from him again through messenger summons every now and again, which would fill the hole in her aching heart for a time.

''_I'll get in touch with you soon, Sakura_.'' Sasuke said, tone gentle.

_Matching the placid expression on his face, no doubt_, Sakura thought with a genuine smile.

''Yeah, I know, Sasuke-kun. Take care of yourself, okay?'' Sakura murmurmed softly, resting her cheek on her left forearm, which was crossed over the top of one of the colourful cushions that adorned the couch so vibrantly.

''_Hn_.'' Sasuke returned just as softly, before he paused, as if in thought. It was silent for a while, before Sakura sucked up the courage to bid him adieu. She opened her mouth, intending to say goodbye, but Sasuke beat her to the punch with something that she had never, in her life, anticipated to come from his mouth.

''_Rest well, Sakura. I love you._''

Sakura's mouth fell open, flabbergasted from his sudden and sincere confession. They were the three words that every girl dreamed of hearing from their lover, and the pink haired medic was finding it hard to believe that he had just said them with such casual ease that for a moment she honestly believed that she had misheard him.

But before she had the chance to respond to his last words, the line went dead. Go figure that he would hang up before his embarrassment could be registered by the furiously blushing pinkette.

Sakura blinked; once, twice, before she rolled onto her back, pillow clenched in a vice grip as she squealed into it with as much volume as her excited lungs could bear to muster.

* * *

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* * *

Sakura felt his chakra signal long before he had sidled up to her doorway. It had been six months since she had last seen him up close, and her heart was pounding behind her ribcage with enough force to shatter through the hard bone. He had kept in contact with her, infrequently for her own torture, through letters alone, and she was desperate to hear that wonderful voice of his once more.

She wanted to see him desperately; fold him up in her arms and never let him go again. Sakura bolted down the stairs of her apartment, hitting ground level with a loud _'thump!'_ from the force of her landing. Without pausing for breath, the pinkette darted towards the rattling doorknob, which unlocked with a definitive _'click!'_

And on the other side of that wooden barricade stood her handsome Uchiha lover, decked in thick winter garb and clutching the spare key to her apartment in his gloved hand. His dark eyes were as expressive as always, but she didn't have the chance to look for very long, because she had all but barrelled into his arms, lithe legs wrapped firmly around his waist as she pressed an anxious kiss to his open mouth; which had apparently fallen open in surprise at her impulsive embrace.

He didn't seem to mind her overzealous attack, however, for he merely smiled against her lips, tilting his head to the side so he could receive her frantic kisses with fervent ones of his own. Sakura's stomach dropped into her womb when Sasuke's large hands came to rest upon her bottom, holding her closer and supporting her weight as she wrapped her hands around his neck and played with the ends of his spiky hair.

It had grown longer, and under the weight of it, gravity had decided to do its job, leaving it a little flatter than it usually was. Sakura didn't mind it in the least bit, toying with the soft locks whilst she made short work of getting them both flustered.

Pulling apart for air, Sakura gazed down at him, cheeks heavily flushed under his hooded gaze as she smiled a little shyly at his amused expression.

''Hi.'' Sakura stated dumbly, the coyness lost in favour of embarrassment as she pressed her forehead against his. Sasuke chuckled, the sound warm and sending pleasant shivers down her spine.

''Hi.'' He replied brusquely, his mirth clear in the sparkling obsidian of his irises as he looked up at her with a quirked eyebrow and lips that trembled with a smile.

Sakura bit her slightly puffy lip at the sight of his sweet expression. He was dangerous to her heart, without a doubt. Sasuke shifted her weight in his arms, readjusting his hold on her rear before he stepped in through the threshold of her apartment, kicking the door to a close behind him.

''I missed you.'' Sakura continued, her earlier zest expressed through shy glances from beneath softly fluttering eyelids.

Sasuke hummed in acquiesance, sooty eyelashes brushing against the hollows of his cheeks as he levelled her with a stare so intense that Sakura began to squirm against him. He smirked then, one hand scooping her up against his torso whilst the remaining one―the one made of flesh, bone and warmth―came up to brush the stray strands of hair from Sakura's flushed cheeks.

''I missed you too.''

It was simple, but the words filled her to the very brim with an ocean of love that could not be expressed through words alone, so Sakura merely buried her face in his neck, pressing a kiss against the sweet spot behind his ear and winding her fingers through his hair in the process.

And they were content, in that moment of pure decadence, to remain like that―in each others arms, feeding off of each other's warmth and becoming reacquainted with the feelings that had yet to be expressed.

''Ne, Sasuke-kun?''

''Hm?''

''I love you too.''

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**Ending Remarks:**_ I JUST ADORE SASUKE-KUN SO MUCH, AND HIM SAYING I LOVE YOU IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY EXISTENCE AS I KNOW IT― /loud flailing/_

_I hope it was worth the wait guys! Please leave a review! I would definitely love to hear from you all. (:_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	8. Couch

**Author's Note:** _You have my deepest gratitude for all of your lovely reviews. I figured that I would reward you all (who am I kidding, I'm definitely the one who derives the most pleasure out of my convoluted little plot bunnies) with some steamy fluff, since you've been tolerating my whimsy for cuteness up until now. C;_

**Additional Note: Listen to the first 2 minutes 22 seconds of **Kajiura Yuki's** ''**_In Memory of_ _You_**'****' when you read the fluff! (;**

* * *

_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

* * *

**Eight:** Couch

_**.**_

_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto**_

_**Categories: Romance, Humour (twisted, no doubt), Friendship**_

_**Rating: T+ (for some heavy funtime)**_

* * *

Sakura had always hated her couch. It was barely what one could call stylish, with the inbuilt cushions sagging here and there from years of mistreatment and fraying edges of tartan fabric that peeled away to reveal the yellowing foam within its tattered exoskeleton. And as a settee, it barely lived up to its proposed function; whenever Naruto and Sasuke paid her a visit, they had to be especially careful about how they sat down on it, for under their weight the springs creaked treachorously, groaning in protest as the pair shifted awkwardly in an attempt to establish some kind of comfort on the potent death-trap.

All in all it was horrible, both an eyesore and an occupational safety hazard, but Sakura didn't have the heart or the money to replace it. After all, it had been left to her by one of her elderly patients at the hospital; an old woman who had valued that atrocious waste of space more than anything in the world, and wanted to give it, and all of its memories, to a reliable person. And who was more responsible and caring than Haruno Sakura?

''That couch means everything to me,'' the woman had whispered hoarsely to the pinkette, her brown eyes bright amidst the taut and sagging wrinkles that were nearly nonexistent against the stretch of her frail bones. She looked like a skeleton, and her illness had been the cause of her rapid descent into decay. Never the less, she had never been more alive than in that moment, regaling Sakura with the adventures that that couch had taken with her when her husband had still been alive.

''Satoshi, god rest his soul, scrounged up every last penny he had saved up to buy us this couch, and for years our home consisted of just that. We were scraping through on virtually nothing, pennyless most days, but we were happy. That couch saw us through the hard times, and good old reliable needs someone who can see its true value. Someone who can understand the significance of memories and cherish them in my place.'' She had stated sagely, a gentle gleam in her eyes as she took Sakura's hand in hers. She had died not a night later, a contented smile on her face in knowing that her legacy would live on.

Being the kind hearted soul that she was, naturally Sakura couldn't bear to break her unspoken promise with the wonderful woman she had come to think of as a great friend, and thus took her couch amidst the chaos of moving into her apartment, not realising what state it was in until she actually unloaded it into her place. Naruto had gawked openly at it, for once at a complete loss of words while Sasuke merely stared, deadpan and completely unreadable to both parties opposite him.

''Sakura-chan, have you checked it for racoons? 'Cause that couch looks like it went one too many rounds with a bunch of horny, highly destructive ferrets.'' Naruto exclaimed with nothing short of horror touching his expression, even though he sounded as if he was holding back his snorts of uncouth laughter behind the facade.

Surprisingly, it was Sasuke who chuckled at the blonde's rude jibe, disguising it with a well-timed cough into his hand when Sakura's infuriated gaze settled disbelievingly on him. Both men tried―emphasis on the _tried_―to don neutral expressions when Sakura raised her eyebrow in challenge, but it became increasingly difficult when, as if on cue, a family of rats came burrowing out of the old lounge.

Sakura's eye twitched in aggravation, watching as the sewer-dwellers scurried out of the open door of her apartment, disappearing down the landing. And as if the spell had been broken, Naruto burst into a fit of raucous laughter that Sasuke couldn't help sharing with him.

''_GAH_! Why do I even bother with the two of you?'' Sakura threw her hands up in the air, shaking her head sharply as she about-faced in the opposite direction. Honestly, men and their emotional redundancy!

''Sorry, sorry, Sakura-chan! It's just―are you serious? I mean, I know it meant a lot to that obaa-chan that you keep it and all, but that doesn't mean that you have to _use_ it! Put it into storage or something, and get Kakashi-sensei to buy you one that won't fall apart the next time you sit on it.'' Naruto quipped with a good-natured grin, always happy to force the expenditure onto their cheapskate of a sensei-turned-Rokudaime.

''That isn't the point, you jackass!'' Sakura growled angrily, turning her vehement glare onto the now quailing Naruto, who was using Sasuke as a shield from her mounting wrath.

''Mitsuki-san cherished this couch with her whole heart! It was the only relic that she had of her dead lover, the one thing that tied them together even after he had left her behind, and I will be damned if I don't respect her love for her husband! She trusted me with her―with _their_―memories, and I don't know about you, but that is a huge deal to me.'' Sakura continued, raising her hands and rubbing her temples roughly in agitation in the process.

''When you love someone, _truly_ love them, you value everything about their existence, no matter how decrepit it has become over time. That's just another sign of love ingrained into material object and desire years after its disuse.'' The pinkette elaborated softly, her green eyes forlorn as she gazed at the final remnant that her friend Mitsuki had left behind. Naruto and Sasuke had the decency to look a little shamefaced, reevaluating the situation before turning to face her once more.

''My bad, Sakura-chan. I never thought of it like that. But y'know, it ain't too shabby, when you put it like that! To have the privilege to be the keeper for obaa-chan's precious memories is really neat.'' Naruto said with a smile, hands folded behind his head as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, locking affectionate gazes with the now smiling pinkette.

''You never think, dobe. That's why it didn't occur to you.'' Sasuke muttered with a smirk in the blonde's direction, an indignant scowl quickly replacing Naruto's jubilant grin.

''Shut it, you rat-faced bastard! No one asked you!''

''Is that the extent of the famous Uzumaki Naruto's stunted vocabulary? I'm shocked.'' Sasuke simpered with a look of pure amusement etched into the handsome lines of his face as Naruto rose to his baiting like an angry parrot.

''Fuck you, teme! I don't need a thesaurus in my head to beat the shit outta you, 'tebayo!'' He squawked―yes, _squawked_―irritably, Sasuke merely shrugging off his commentary like oil over water as he allowed his focus to shift back to the giggling woman across from them.

''It's nice to see that things haven't changed between the two of you.'' Sakura exclaimed between her laughter, eyes alight with mirth as she looked between the tall men with all the adoration that she could muster. Naruto raised a brow, face the picture of surprise before he locked gazes with Sasuke and grinned like he never had before, azure orbs glistening with a radiance that came about whenever in the presence of his best friend.

''Yeah, well, I guess it wouldn't be any fun if teme wasn't around to keep me on my toes.'' Naruto said with an exuberance that instantly cleared the air of any remaining hostility between the three, and they all smiled at the sincerity in the blonde's tone.

''As nice is it is just standing around here, doing nothing, we have a job to do.'' Sasuke stated simply, his dark eyes lingering on the petite rosette's form a little longer than intended before he all but dragged a spluttering Naruto by his collar outside, intent on gathering the rest of Sakura's belongings before the chilly autumn air melted into the frigidity that came with darkness.

Sakura smiled softly at the broad stretch of his back as it strode purposefully toward the pile of boxes scattered across the asphalt of her gravel runway. It was so wonderful to have him back in their lives―_her_ life―and the fact that he was so motivated to be involved in their lives as much as humanly possible moved her heart in ways that she couldn't begin to understand.

There was this unspoken kind of tension steadily building between her and Sasuke, a tension that she had not foreseen upon his unexpected return. It hadn't been apparent, at first. At least, not while she was in the present company of both of her team mates. But as the months had rolled on, their walls had come down, little by little, until the thin line between friendship and something more had become convoluted.

Even Naruto had begun to notice the imperceptible nuances indicating a shift of dynamic between the two of them, and he had had the tact to be around them less and less in order for them to figure out what the exact nature of their relationship was, and where it was heading.

Sakura was grateful for his consideration, but cursed him and his surprising astuteness. Her life was made vastly more difficult when her blonde best friend had more insight into the inner thoughts of her love than she did, and half the time she wished that she could step into his shoes for a time, just to get a handle on how Sasuke perceived her.

Even so, the nature of his presence was purely innocent; all Sakura had wanted to achieve was a place to call her own, and moving in by herself, on top of having shifts at the hospital to work around, was not ideal. So by effectively roping in her team mates, Sakura was enabled a little more room to breathe.

But the more she tried to convince herself that watching Sasuke's muscles flex as he hefted box after box over his shoulders was only an added bonus, the more flustered she became. She loved this man with every fibre of her being, so it was really very hard not to ogle when sweat slipped down his chin and trailed down his exposed throat into the depths beyond the hemline of his shirt.

Sakura swallowed, averting her gaze as she began moving the furniture already in the house to her liking, following the layout inside her mind to the letter as each element fell perfectly into place. Satisfied, Sakura brushed off her hands, sitting on the arm of the decaying couch and contenting herself with the sight of Naruto and Sasuke bickering over who was carrying in the box of medical textbooks (which weighed a tonne, easily.)

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Sakura's resentment of the couch became a moot point the moment Sasuke leaned into her side and kissed her for the first time. Their relationship had been kick-started from many moments shared there, Naruto squeezing in on the side opposite of Sakura as they gathered for their routine get-together, which usually composed of terrible horror movie nights or worse yet, tv soaps.

The minute an add for the late and not so great Jiraiya's _Icha Icha Tactics_ flickered onto the screen, Sasuke would tactfully switch the channel, Naruto whining over not being allowed to watch one of the few reminders of his perverted godfather's living legacy in action.

''That shit is derivative and asinine.'' Was all Sasuke had said, and Sakura had been quick to agree, her eyes narrowing at Naruto's crestfallen expression. All he wanted to do was revel in the collective discomfort of his two team mates, after all; who had only recently―at that point in time―begun dating.

He knew that the mention of sex of any kind in the presence of Sasuke, who was indifferent to physical intimacy and practiced abstinence like no one he had ever known before, and Sakura, who had been in love with Sasuke for so many years now that the idea of intimacy was terrifying and exhilarating, would test the waters of their relationship indefinitely.

Being the shit-stirrer that he was, Naruto couldn't possibly contain himself in that regard.

So he made it a painful point to interfere as much as he could in the way in which the two regarded one another, building the tension between them to the point of bursting apart. It was only natural that eventually one of them would work up the gusto to cross the threshold between casual and serious, but it came as a genuine shock to Sakura that it had been Sasuke who had initiated the intimate contact.

Considering his aversion to PDA, Sakura just assumed that she would have to instigate their first kiss sometime in the near future.

Being proven pleasantly wrong had never been better, and as the raven haired Uchiha tipped her head back so that he had better leverage over her mouth, Sakura silently thanked Naruto for being a meddlesome knucklehead.

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Sakura was entertaining Sasuke for the evening, and the pinkette couldn't have been more pleased for it. She hadn't seen him for several weeks, as he had been deployed on a diplomatic mission in Sunagakure with Naruto, Sai and Yamato-taichou, leaving Sakura a frazzled mess whilst she prepared her plans for Christmas with renewed vigor. She knew that Sasuke had never really enjoyed the festive season, so she was making it a point to tone down the bubbling excitement that she always felt when Christmas was just around the corner in favour of simply relishing in his company.

When he had arrived on her doorstep, hands in his pockets and a transient smile on his face, Sakura had to catch her breath. A black leather duster with fur trimmings around the neck and hemline caressed the broad stretch of his shoulders, fastened with an array of silver-plated buttons that glittered in the warm glow that her lamps emitted. A navy blue scarf was pulled around his throat, tucked in at the back and falling in a neat fold over the front of his jacket, stopping just above his breastbone. Sakura could make out his boots up until the ankle, and the buckle-straps glinted strongly when he stepped up onto the landing of her hallway.

Closing the door behind himself, Sasuke bent down to Sakura's height, pressing a leisurely kiss to her temple as he made quick work of removing his coat, shrugging it from his arms and hanging it up on the wall-hanger he had installed for the pinkette just after she had moved in. Sakura smiled fondly at the memory. Reaching out, she tugged insistently on the hem of his black polo shirt, which was surprisingly thin given the weather. Never the less, it hugged the very contours of his built figure, and the pink haired medic had to suppress her near moan of approval at the sight of his muscles rippling with every breath he took.

Sasuke noted with a smug smirk that Sakura was flustered by his incredibly casual attire, considering the fact that it was below minus zero outside, and when he tilted his head to observe her observing him, he found that he was quite pleased with her abashed perusal. The male in him was proud that he could elicit such a strong reaction by merely wearing something a little more form-fitting than he usually did, and he made a mental note to do so more often, if this was the reaction Sakura had to his sinful appeal.

He reached out to her then, resting his right hand against her cheek as he stared into her eyes intently, searching for something beyond both of their grasps. Sakura raised her own hands to meet his, her left cradling his palm to her face whilst her right wrapped lovingly around his wrist, soft fingers tickling the sliver of flesh that his long sleeves left exposed to her fleeting touch. She leaned into his warmth for a time, eyes blissfully closed as she felt the gentle thumping of his pulse beneath her trained fingertips.

Sasuke felt his expression soften from its amused smirking, and he inhaled deeply, her sweet scent tickling his senses as he readjusted to her presence. It had been far too long since they had last seen each other. Sakura's eyes fluttered open when she felt him shift, and before she knew it, Sasuke's remaining arm was pulling her into his embrace, holding her firmly to his chest as he ran his fingers across her cheek and into the depths of her rosy hair. She smiled into the dark fabric of his shirt, a blush rising heatedly on the arched planes of her cheekbones and spreading like liquid fire across the expanse of her face.

Nearly two years of affection on his part, and she still wasn't used to his tender touch. _I don't think I'll ever get used to it_, she thought in time with her beating heart, which had begun to race the moment he had walked through her front door.

Sasuke's chin rested firmly on the crest of her head, his eyes closed to the light as he absorbed her warmth into his greedy body. He had been so very tired upon his return to Konoha, but as he trudged through the layers of frosty snow and saw the warm lights of her home glittering in the darkness, that fatigue gave way to a mounting desire to see Sakura's smiling face, to hold her close, to be near her.

And all the time he had been away had been worth it, for indulging in the simple pleasure of her warmth was more than he could have ever asked for at the end of a long period of separation. Sakura raised her gaze, bumping gently against his chin as she did so, and he chuckled at her haste to confirm that he really was there, with her.

His dark eyes bore into hers with an intensity that had her insides squirming girlishly in response, and as he leaned down to brush their noses together, Sakura had to stifle her surprised gasp. The heat that sparked between them in that single moment of decadence generated a desire to be closer, much closer, and neither could gravitate away from that growing sense of yearning.

Sakura's eyes fluttered drowsily the closer his face came, until their weight became too much of a burden to maintain, and she let them fall to a stuttering close; Sasuke's warmth engulfed her then, his lips searing hotly over hers as he claimed her mouth in a kiss that melted away any resistance that Sakura may have put up to his attentions. Her lips parted in a gasp as Sasuke ran his hands up her sides, his feet moving of their own accord until he had led her to the couch that she had hated for so long in silence.

Sakura broke apart from their intense lip-lock when she felt the backs of her legs smacking into the arm of her dishevelled lounge, and she was quick to correct her posture, walking around the barricade with Sasuke's hand in hers and leading them both to the ragged cushions. She sunk into the old foam, her hand tugging Sasuke down insistently in the process; he smirked at her desperation, settling in alongside her before his calloused hand slipped into the silky threads of her hair and yanked her forward by the base of her skull.

Sakura pressed her hands against the taut stretch of pectoral muscle that made up the refined ridges of Sasuke's upper chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as her lips found his, her heart pounding frantically like a hummingbird caged in her chest cavity. Sasuke parted her moving mouth with a swift flick of his tongue against her top lip, an amused grunt huffing from his open mouth as she submitted to his will without hesitation, her orifice proffered and inviting as he took a tentative dip into the wet heat beyond.

Tongue and teeth fought for dominance, and Sakura's tummy churned in nervous anticipation as Sasuke's prosthetic hand trailed up and down the creamy thigh that her dress left exposed to his wandering appendages. Although he could not feel her skin or the heat that radiated off of it, Sasuke could still absorb the jittery vibrations that her shaking limbs omitted through the movable false limb, and the satisfaction that filled him, having reduced her to a quivering mess with only a kiss, was unparalleled.

When Sakura felt his tongue slip into her mouth, she had to fight the urge to moan aloud―but when he sucked hers into his mouth with an artful twirl and grazed his beautiful white teeth against it, her vision went hazy and a deep throb surged into the depths of her groin. Panting, the pinkette pulled away, desperately gasping for air as Sasuke pressed toe-curling kisses against her cheek and jaw, leaving a hot trail of wet, open-mouthed kisses against her flushed skin as he made a beeline for her thumping pulse.

Sakura's right leg shifted from its dangling position alongside the couch, her inner thigh brushing against Sasuke's hip as he hefted it over his own leg. Leaning forward, he allowed gravity to take over; forcing Sakura back under the tantalisingly slow tease that was her lover lowering her back against the multi-coloured cushions on her settee.

His right arm was propped beneath Sakura's head, elbow folded enough to give Sasuke some much needed leverage as he resumed his assault on her exposed neck, teeth nipping at the ivory flesh and tongue leaping out to soothe the sting.

He ran his remaining hand down her right leg, raising her leg so that it rested against the small of his back, before he slid it up her thigh, hand coming to gently cup the curved swell of her hip. Sakura moaned deeply, the sound resonating in the back of her throat as she weaved her fingers through his hair, tugging him as close as she could to her trembling body.

The hairs on her arms prickled at the sensations charging through her like electricity, and Sakura idly wondered if Sasuke's lightning elemental chakra had something to do with it. She felt as if her whole body was alight in tremendous flames, her core melting into sensate jitters as she rocked her hips instinctively against his―Sasuke meeting her with slow thrusts of his own.

He groaned when Sakura tugged on his hair, and Sasuke abandoned his attentive ministrations on her bruised throat in light of his desire to kiss her once more. He did so, slanting his mouth over hers and claiming her with a possessiveness that Sakura had never experienced before.

His dominance over her writhing figure was driving her to the very brink of insanity, and as his left hand slipped underneath the folds of her dress, burning a searing path up her toned stomach to her covered breasts, Sakura felt her whole world explode with a painful clarity that had her seeing stars.

Nope. She didn't hate the couch anymore.

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**Ending Remarks:** _Well aren't I a fucking tease? I bet you hate me now. XD_

_It's been a while since I wrote any kind of intimate scene, especially to such implicit detail, so please excuse me while I go fan myself into a sexual coma―_

_I am looking forward to more hot and heavy kiss scenes, but let us gradually work our way into Smutorama Land guys. C;_

_Just think of this as a taster for what deliciousness is in store (mind you that'll be a while from now LOL, I don't have my mojo for writing decent lemons back just yet)― _

_¬/^/¬_

_Please leave me a review, and tell me how much you hate me for the ending. I dare you. ;)_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	9. Mistletoe

**Author's Note:** _As usual, I give all of my gratitude to those of you who left me a review. I really do appreciate every word of feedback that I receive._

* * *

**_Melt the Mistletoe_**

* * *

**Nine:** Mistletoe  
(It was inevitable LOL)

**_._**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Team 7; with miscellaneous appearances from the much-loved side-cast._**

**_Categories: Romance, Friendship, Family, Humour_**

**_Rating: T_**

* * *

''Come on guys, why so serious? It's just a kiss for god's sake!'' The boisterous cat-call of one Uzumaki Naruto cut through the festive cheer of the Rokudaime's office, which had been refurbished especially to host the annual Christmas party that the political echelon within the village threw for their shinobi forces. Up until that moment, the raucous din within the expansive hall had drowned out most idle chatter, but the shattering quality that made up Naruto's gravelly baritone had drawn quite the crowd of curious onlookers.

And at the centre of this absolutely mortifying proclamation, with cheeks growing increasingly red under the brightened hue of the fairy lights, was Haruno Sakura; who was currently shifting under the weight of her fellow shibobis' heady stares and spitting venom from her narrowed emerald irises at the cause of her discomfort.

_I should have known that that fucking moron would orchestrate something so... so **juvenile**!_ Sakura screamed internally, her heart in her throat as she peered up at the brooding male standing next to her. To his credit, Sasuke was tolerating all of the cloying attention with a grain of salt, the only indication of his annoyance shown in the set of his shoulders, which were positively rigid.

The pink haired med-nin knew better than anyone else that the raven haired Uchiha hated being the centre of attention. But what he hated more so than even that was Naruto broadcasting this fact without a care in the world; why else would he have so boldly captured the heightening interest of the steadily increasing masses with such a devious ploy?

''Shut the fuck up, _Naruto_!'' Sakura spat vehemently, face twisted with rage as she curled her fingers into a taut fist that tremoured with the impulse to send him flying into the next world.

''I can't believe you would be so fucking _stupid_!'' She hissed as an afterthought, her countenance the picture of divine retribution as she cracked her neck, readying herself for a bronto beatdown with her jackass of a team mate. Naruto paled a little, as if only then realising the extent of his folly, his hands coming up to pacify the enraged pinkette.

He shifted his weight behind Sai, who tactfully slipped away into the growing bystanders with a casual_ ''It was nice knowing you, Dickless''_ carrying to the hyperactive blonde's ears. Panic flickered through his blue eyes as he stared into the face of death itself.

_And here I was thinking that we were all in this **together**_, Naruto thought with a decisive sneer in the indifferent artist's direction. He was standing off to the side of the room, a flirtatious Ino riveting his attentions elsewhere, leaving the blonde to contend with his infuriated female friend. It had been a joint effort of the remaining members of the Konoha Twelve, that had overseen the plan's coming into frutition with much glee and anticipation, to see that Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura announce their affection for one another on a global scale. And what better way than to _force_ the situation upon them?

''But how on earth would we ever manage such a feat? Especially since this is _Sasuke_ we're talking about here, the resident antisocial recluse of our little group!'' Ino had exclaimed with a pointed look in Naruto's direction.

''Never mind Sakura; I'm sure she'd _love_ the show of PDA! But as it stands, there is _no way_ in this foreseeable future or the next that _Uchiha fucking Sasuke_ would _ever_ concede to _kissing_ in public, no matter how cuddly he is out of sight!'' She continued adamantly, pacing the floor of Naruto's apartment with a scowl on her pretty lips.

''Well since it's Christmas, why not just strategically place some mistletoe here and there, and have them go at it?'' Kiba suggested with a grin, dark eyes glinting with devious intent as he pointed up at the ceiling overhead with a waggling finger; for extra effect, he pouted out his lips, enunciating his final words with exaggerated smooching sound effects, summoning hoots of laughter from the slightly inebriated ninja around them. Only Shino and Sai remained silent, aloof and indifferent as ever.

''That could work...'' Naruto trailed off with a smile, deep in thought as he stood from his spot next to the flustered Hyuuga heiress, his face drawn into his musings as he thought over the implications of their little prank.

''N-Naruto-kun...'' Hinata started with a nearly imperceptible stutter that drew everyone's attention to her timid frame. She had long since grown out of her shyness with her bombastic boyfriend, so the fact that she had slipped into a habit of old meant that she was nervous. He turned to face her with an adoring smile, and her heart swelled in her chest at the sight.

''I don't think this is a g-good idea. I mean, w-what if you only upset them by doing this?'' Hinata continued straightforwardly, her pale lavender irises glowing softly in the lights adorning Naruto's Christmas tree. ''Sasuke-san and Sakura-chan are very private people. It seems wrong to force them into doing this, and more likely than not, they'll be mad that you tried to make them.''

Naruto paused, listening to his voice of reason as she sat there, delicate and oh so sweet, looking up at him with genuine concern for his two best friends, before he grinned in that diabolical way that told everyone in the room that he was up for making mischief.

_Just like the good old days_, he thought with a smirk, bronzed complexion diluted by the effervescent glittering of fairy lights dancing over his complexion. Hinata swallowed inaudibly, a curl of dread settling into her gut as she recognised his intent with painful clarity.

''Oh I _know_ they'll be pissed. That's _why_ I wanna do it! It shows the rest of us how much they _really_ mean to each other, after all; if they can either suck it up and just _do it_, or if they get all shitty and defensive with me! Seriously, they need to start showing the rest of the world that they don't care who sees them when they get all loved up and stupid on each other, before their relationship just squanders away into nothingness!'' Naruto raved enthusiastically, throwing his trademark thumbs up in Hinata's direction for extra measure as his gaze swooped extravagantly over his surroundings.

''And that thing with teme being emotionally constipated is getting to be a joke! Not being able to hold Sakura-chan's hand when he's hanging around with just me and Sai is fucking ridiculous! Poor Sakura-chan doesn't know what she's missing out on!'' Naruto tacked on persistently, his lips turning into a pout as he surveyed his company with twinkling cerulean orbs.

''That is why I need _your_ help, my friends. If for nothing else, join me in my cause of making teme squirm in his ridiculosly huge boots!'' He cackled then, loud and eerily reminiscent of Ero-sennin, hands spread out as his drunken team mates hollered in the affirmative; two sets of dark eyes watching the scene with blatant disinterest.

And thus a group of mischief-making morons had drunkenly decided to string up mistletoe to the banisters in Kakashi's office; the elder man scratching his head in mute fascination as the tipsy, giggling fools reiterated it would be even funnier if the _whole_ ceiling was buried beneath Pucker-up Plants. Not knowing how to handle the situation at hand, Kakashi had merely shrugged it off, pulling out his famously tattered copy of _Icha Icha Paradise_ from the top draw of his filing cabinet and settling down behind his mahogony desk without a glance at them henceforth.

Since the newly built office was incredibly large, nobody would even _think_ to look up the banisters overhead, and with plenty of prismatic distractions scattered about the room, nobody would suspect them of orchestrating such magnificent tomfoolery.

And they really hadn't.

Which was why, when Naruto had all but pranced over to the two of them with a smile of Cheshire proportions lighting up his sun-kissed face, eyes glittering with amusement as he pointed up to the offending branches without a hint of remorse, Sakura and Sasuke had been so utterly flabbergasted. For the most part Sakura was shocked. It was an opportunity to finally announce to the shinobi world that this gorgeous man was _hers_, and hers alone, but then her heart sank with the realisation that Sasuke would never condone such foolishness, much less entertain the whimsy.

And with that knowledge came embarrassed anger. She knew that Naruto had only her best intentions at heart, but never the less, he had rubbed salt into the metaphorical wound that had blossomed inside her chest unwittingly. The proud Uchiha man, who had a strong aversion to public displays of affection on any normal day, would _never_ tolerate doing so in the presence of such an expansive group of strangers. It would be too intimate to show such weakness in front of them. She knew this with a profoundness that unsettled her deeply.

So as she stood there, shaking from repressed rage and tears pooling, unbidden, in her eyes, ready to clobber Naruto within an inch of his life, she naturally did not expect Sasuke to swoop down and act as her intervening dark knight. And nor had she expected him to tilt her head back by the chin, dark eyes dripping with amused stoicism, and close the distance between their parted lips.

''_GEH_...!'' A choked garble, distinctly Naruto, broke through the sudden silence as Sasuke deepened their lip-lock, tongue probing against her bottom lip and summoning a soft moan in response. A few loud hoots, courtesy of Kiba, Ino and Tenten sounded, but Sakura was only dimly aware of the jeering as she entangled her fingers in Sasuke's shirt, clinging onto equilibrium desperately as the wet heat of his mouth sent hot tingles down her spine.

Of which then gravitated towards the molten pool that had gathered in her stomach, her cheeks growing warm under the sensations that were sweeping through her mouth.

Sasuke withdrew, flicking his tongue against her top lip before he pressed an intimate kiss to the quirked corner of her stunned mouth, his expression endlessly amused as he turned his confident smirk to the gathered masses around them. Not a shred of embarrassment stained his fair complexion, and as he met Naruto's horrified blue eyes with his own, Sakura could almost see the sparks fizzling between them.

''A kiss for a kiss, Naruto. Pucker up.'' Sasuke quipped sardonically, hilarity lacing his tone as he pointed mutely over the blonde's shoulder.

And there stood a charmed middle-aged woman, buxom and eager for some loving, her round face the picture of delight as she realised that she was standing under mistletoe with the young and gorgeous hero of her village. Naruto blanched, face rapidly paling as the insistent elder woman latched onto his arms with a vice grip that rooted him in place.

Sasuke, still smirking, took Sakura's hand in his, linking their fingers together as Sakura gazed up at him adoringly, her cheeks pink as his expression softened into a smile meant only for her.

''I don't have any qualms with kissing in public, so you know.'' Sasuke amended quietly, eyes dancing with mirth as he took in Sakura's growing state of fluster.

''So don't be surprised if there are more to come from now on.''

The pinkette swore her heart had just burst in her chest.

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''Undone by his own scheme. How grandoise.'' Kakashi murmured with a smile, eyes returning to his book as Naruto's tormented screams echoed throughout the streets of Konoha.

''OH MY GOD, NOOOOOOO!''

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**Author's Note:** _LOL. Well, what can I say? I felt like some meddlesome crack, and so I have delivered it. _

_Any excuse for some hot tongue on tongue action via Sasuke-kun, I say. xDD_

_Anyhow, that's all from me for now. Please leave a review on your way out, guys!_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R**_ i_ n-x-


	10. Sleepover

**Author's Note:** _Uhhhh what can I say, other than I got lost on the road of life, and that Christmas is counter-intuitive to the writing spirit. Thanks for the 100 reviews guys! I am totally stoked!_

* * *

_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Ten:** Sleepover

**_._**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura_**

**_Categories: Romance_**

**_Rating: K_**

* * *

The early morning sun filtered into the vast quietude that made up Sakura's bedroom, casting a soft white hue over the wrinkled sheets of her bed and flickering over the restless plains of her face. A ruffled sigh of discontent left her lips, but her eyes remained closed to the glittering rays of daybreak. Her body, once cold, was filled to the brim with warmth, the source of it shifting behind her, and she smiled subliminally, unaware of the tangibility of that gentle touch of raw heat.

Sasuke leaned into her petite frame with as much care as he could muster, careful not to waken the slumbering princess now wrapped in his steely embrace. He had returned to Konoha from a perilously long ANBU mission in the dead of night, the bitter winter's chill seeping through to his very bones as he made the long trek to her apartment; intent on being the first thing that she saw when she woke in the morning.

He had pried the spare key to her apartment from the necklace strung about his neck, the fingers of his sole hand completely numb as he fumbled with the lock; lacking his usual dexterity as he all but jammed it into the slot and twisted it with a graceless jerk of his heavy wrist. Hot tingles stabbed imperceptibly beneath the taut pull of his skin, out of reach and causing Sasuke a great deal of discomfort as he sidled into the foyer, stealthy as always as he closed the door and reinforced it behind the deadlock once more.

Sighing quietly through lips that had been weathered down to a chapped, bleeding mess courtesy of the raging blizzard outside, the raven haired Uchiha bent down, slipping out of his ninja sandals, designed to be resistent to the frigid winds of winter but doing very little to dissuade the cold from seeping into him regardless. Wordlessly, he placed them against the gentle instep of the landing, paired neatly alongside the pinkette's boots, before he stepped up onto the wooden planks, weightlessly gliding down the darkened hall until he met with the winding staircase that led to the uppermost level of her apartment.

Fatigue washed over his face as he seriously contemplated hijacking the couch for the night, but then a spattering of raised hairs prickled at his senses, and he sighed once more. It was much too cold to try and brave the night away on the death trap that was Sakura's ancient couch, and he really didn't find the idea of sleeping without her there by his side very appealing either.

''Tch. Goddamned stairs.'' Sasuke muttered tersely, running a frazzled hand through his dampened hair (mushy snow tends to do this, unfortunately), before he placed it upon the nearest banister, hefting his tired limbs up the wooden obstacles with a light grimace pulling at his lips.

What spurned him forward was the prospect of sinking into bed-sheets alongside the woman he loved, her warmth all-encompassing and a welcome home that he could not resist, and thus Sasuke climbed, unfastening the clasps that held his thick winter cloak in place around his shoulders as he went.

Rolling his very stiff shoulders, as if to unwind the tension from his every molecule, Sasuke made it to the second floor landing, his feet treading softly against the sturdy oak as he sauntered over to the door that led to Sakura's bedroom. Anticipation filled his gut, sending sparks of warmth to the very tips of his tingling toes as he pried her door open, slipping into the dark vestibule with the soundless grace that he was so prided for. He made sure that he had properly closed the wooden barricade, sooty eyes watchful as they gazed at the stilled form settled beneath heavy sheets.

Sakura's breathing was deep and even, and her peaceful state practically stripped the exhaustion from Sasuke's body. With a gentle twist to his lips, the ANBU Captain sidled over to the bedside, hands prying off his vest with quiet ease before they lifted the hem of his dark shirt in tow, the thick material falling to the floor without a sound. In just his dark sweats, the firm ridges and muscles crisscrossing over his pale chest undulating with his every breath, Sasuke cautiously lifted the first layer of many blankets draped unceremoniously over the shivering pinkette, pulling it away so that he too could settle beneath its precarious warmth.

Discovering another three doonas beneath had Sasuke raising his eyebrows, but then the cold stabbed at his naked flesh, and he realised what the problem was.

_So her heating system is down, huh_, Sasuke mused with a furrow etched into his brow, handsome face unreadable as he noted that her cheeks were flushed even with all of the thick material shielding her from the unpleasant chill in her room. He would have to rectify this situation immediately, and he knew the remedy to it without having to think about it at all.

Curling the blankets over one another, Sasuke sunk indulgently into the first real bed he had slept on in four months, his bones almost groaning as they melted into the plush mattress without even a creak from the normally protesting springs. Sasuke exhaled, lifting the blankets over his body without further ado and shifting onto his side, his large frame folding around Sakura's until his chest was pressed firmly against her lithe back.

It was at times like this that firmly reminded him just how vulnerable she really was. Regardless of her supposed inhuman strength, she was still a woman, _his_ woman, and she felt so fragile in his arms at that very moment that he was afraid for a moment that he would break her if he held onto her too tightly. Never the less he wrapped her up in his warmth, dark eyes contented at the sight of her transient expression.

He smiled then, the gesture fleeting at most, and he bent down slightly, pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of her parted lips. Settling himself into the comfort of her body, Sasuke fell into a deep sleep, inertia quick to claim him now that he had finally found his share of blissful peace.

* * *

As it was, the fickle light of daybreak had sharpened Sasuke's already heightened senses to the point of it being intolerable, and he had woken alongside the rising sun. He had always been like that, since he had been a small child. Sakura, he knew, was his exact opposite, and could very easily succumb to the comforts of her bed for an entire day if her status as a kunoichi and medic weren't impeding her from the notion.

Sasuke smirked a little, amusement turning into a swell of unadulterated affection as Sakura moaned her discontent into her pillow.

''Silly girl...'' He murmured softly, right hand coming up to brush away the tangled strands of pink that had fallen over her forehead, tucking them behind her ear with a whispering tickle to her flushed cheek along the way.

He ghosted those very fingers along the soft curve of her jaw, tilting her head a little more his way as the light furthered its assault against her shuttered eyelids. She shifted against him, clearly unhappy with the brightening of her bedroom, and Sasuke had to fight the urge to chuckle at the childish pout that had pulled unwittingly across the stubborn set of her mouth.

Nearly rolling his eyes, the raven haired Uchiha slipped his left arm beneath her head, his remaining arm sliding over the deliciously bared skin of her shoulder before he rolled her gently in his direction, her covered breasts brushing suggestively against his bared front as her arms naturally folded around him.

Resting his chin atop her head, Sasuke smiled, relishing in the deep-seated heat that sunk into his pores like a man starved. He inhaled her, then, reacquainting himself with her scent as the essence of her being became apart of him once more―an entangled mess of limbs and a quiet sigh of contentment lulling him off to sleep once more.

Another hour of sleep couldn't hurt, after all.

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**Ending Remarks:** _Short and sweet, just the way I like it. :3_

_I love the idea of Sasuke-kun doing this. Just ugh. Roll me into your arms please. *^*_

_Please leave a review! Lots more fluff and potential smutty goodness where that came from!_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R**_ i_ n-x-


	11. Dance

**Author's Note:** _Thanks guys! I want to use this space to respond to guest reviewer _Mars_; I apologise if my previous ending remarks dissuaded you from reviewing. As an author, no matter how small, every review is precious. I don't care if it says something that is completely nonsensical; every word has meaning. As long as it is positive, I am content. When I ask for constructive feedback, it doesn't need to be a long list of "dos and don't's." I just want to hear what you liked, and what I could do better, which is easily done in one sentence. (:_

_Thank you for your reviews though. They were wonderfully insightful._

**Additional Note: ''**Anywhere**'' by **Evanescence**. Listen to it. It sets the tone nicely. And "**Skin**" (_Version_ _2_) by** Rihanna** when you get to Ino and Sakura partying. C;**

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_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Eleven:** Dance

**_._**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Team 7, Yamanaka Ino_**

**_Categories: Romance, Friendship_**

**_Rating: T+ (for some sexy dancing)_**

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Sakura shifted nervously, her eyes scanning the ever-expanding crowds of people milling about the village square for a familiar head of rebellious raven hair. When she found it, she all but shoved her way through the milling masses, her hand hooking onto his as he looked down at her, relief etched into the planes of his face. Getting separated before the big night had not been on the top of her priorities, and she clung onto him with a renewed sense of purpose.

The jubilant blonde Yamanaka Ino had called her late last night, practically screeching with excitement incomparable down the headset.

"OH MY GOD FOREHEAD GIRL, DID YOU HEAR? YOUR SENSEI IS THROWING A CHRISTMAS DANCE BASH TOMORROW AND WE'RE ALL INVITED!" Holding the earpiece away from her now ringing ear, the pinkette sighed in exasperation, shaking her head with a taut smile on her lips.

Some things never changed. Sakura was thankful for the normalcy, but still wished that Ino would turn down the decibels, if only for the sake of her wilting hearing. Sakura flopped onto the couch in her living area, sighing as she wrapped herself up in the woollen throw and settled against the cushions. This was going to be a long night.

"I am well aware of Kakashi-sensei's plans for tomorrow night, Ino-Pig. Mostly because I had the biggest hand in them coming into fruition. Let's face it; the day Kaka-sensei organises a party of his own volition is the day I'll sprout wings and fly to the moon." Sakura explained with a short laugh, which was quickly reciprocated by the vivacious kunoichi on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, well that sounds accurate enough, I suppose. Asuma-sensei was a lot like that too. Never really into planning for festive celebrations, more interested in sneaking around with Kurenai behind our backs." There was a lilting sadness in Ino's tone, and the nostalgic quality to her tenor did not go amiss with the pink haired medic.

"Asuma-sensei was a great man. A little on the irresponsible side sometimes, but he was always there when it counted." Sakura stated softly with a gentle smile. She had grown very fond of the Sarutobi slouch, who had taken her under his wing in the midst of her specialist training of and with Ino, and made her feel like she belonged in their little family.

Ino huffed out a quiet laugh, enjoying the sweet moment of reminiscence with her best friend, of whom she had shared so much with; pain, happiness, despair and bitterness, all wrapped up in a box of dark delights that was sometimes too difficult to endure opening.

Thankfully this was not one of those moments, and both girls cherished the mutuality of the companionable silence that had settled between them.

"...So you know... About this dance..." Ino trailed off suddenly, hesitancy lacing her voice as she pondered on the right words to say. Sakura raised her eyebrows, expression the epitome of surprise at this unexpected development. Ino was as buoyant as her bubbly father, which was a big part of the reason why the two got along so well. So to hear reluctance clearly in the tremor of her oftentimes whiny squeal was a little disconcerting.

"What's up, Ino? You're not usually so reserved about the whole dance thing, y'know." Sakura murmured in a playful tone, teasing the blonde woman in the hopes of getting a rise out of her.

"I know, it's just..." Ino continued with a surprising amount of consideration touching her tone. Now the pinkette knew something was up. When did Ino ever _not_ rise to her baiting?

"It's just, well, it makes sense to take a date, right? I mean, Shikamaru roped Temari into going with him―god knows how, mind you. He's such a lazy bum, I just don't get why that Sand girl would waste her time on him, but whatever. Even Chouji got a date!"

"Ehhhh? Really? Who?" Sakura interjected with a voice dripping with disbelief. Chouji was a sweet boy, very kind and easy to like, but date material he was not. He was too focused on food and friends to ever have enough time for a girlfriend, but apparently this assumption was wrong. Sakura grinned. She was truly glad for him. He deserved to be liked by someone who saw the good in him.

"That girl from Kumo. You know... Uhhhh, I think her name was Kauri?"

"I think you meant Karui, Ino-Pig. And yeah, I know her. She was the girl that beat the crap out of Naruto when he stood up for Sasuke-kun's freedom." Sakura intoned, clearly amused as she gave a brief description of the woman in question.

"Dark red hair, dark skin, about our height, attitude in droves. Quite frankly I like her. She's got spunk."

Ino huffed in response, clearly at odds with Sakura's opinion of the "chick from the Land of Lightning."

"Well I don't agree so much, Forehead. I mean, she's rude, completely obnoxious, and can't take a joke for the life of her. I don't know what Chouji sees in her."

"And yet the same could be said of Chouji."

"Shut it, pinky. Chouji has plenty of strong points. Any girl would be lucky to have him."

"Oh my, is this the same Yamanaka Ino that said she'd sooner _die_ than date the chubby-chaser-in-training Akimichi Chouji?"

"Oh my god Sakura, _shush_! I may not have the nerve to date the walking food-stand, but there are plenty of people that find big eaters attractive. Especially if they're kind, considerate and sensitive like my Chouji."

"Is that _jealousy_ I detect, Ino? Since when did you ever refer to your teammates as _yours_?"

"Since forever. Like you'd know. My team is my life, and I'll be damned if they screw it up by fucking the wrong girls."

"_INO_!" Sakura yelled, aghast by the sudden crudeness of their back and forth banter. Her face twisted into an appalled stretch of discomfiture as she rolled onto her side, green eyes trailing the freshly painted walls of her apartment until they fell upon the clock overhanging her television set. It read 11:47pm.

"Sorry, sorry, Prude-hime. Didn't realise you were so sensitive about cussing." Ino said with a vibrant laugh, defying the lateness of the hour.

"But I mean it. I want them to choose people that will value them for _them_. They're so wonderful, and the most important people in my life. I don't want them to settle below their worth, because they deserve nothing but the best. Like my tou-san and kaa-san. The best for the best." Her voice came out a little tighter than before, emotions high-strung as she spoke tearfully into the receiver. It was still a fresh wound, the death of her father during the war, and his memory haunted her in so many ways.

Ino was a fighter, though, and her resilience was what made her so attractive to so many people. She never let anything get her down for long. It was just that losing her daddy was the hardest pill for her to swallow.

"I get what you mean." Sakura responded empathetically, thinking of her own beloved boys. Naruto was happy and healthy in his blossoming relationship with Hinata, whilst she and Sasuke had slipped into a wonderful dynamic also. _Two years_, she thought with a broad smile at the pictures nailed onto the walls. Within their monochromatic frames, there were many images; of family, of her beloved youth with Team Kakashi, growing up, and various photographs of her alongside her gorgeous boyfriend.

They had been doing very well, and she was excited to see him back in the village after his extensive leave-of-absence with her idiotic male best friend Naruto.

"I'd do anything to ensure their happiness. Anything at all."

"Oh I know you would, you lucky bitch. It so happens that you're dating _the hottest thing alive_, in the history of mankind, so you don't have to worry about this shitty 'dance with a date' deal. It's _me_ I'm worried about!" Ino near shrieked into the headset, her aquamarine eyes wide and frantic as she finally expelled her concerns to her pink haired girlfriend.

"I have _no_ idea what to do about this, and it's such short notice, and I just―WHAT THE HELL SHOULD I DO FOREHEAD?"

"Whoa there, Pig, calm down! You're gorgeous, have a mostly tolerable personality―" Sakura was cut off by Ino's indignant _"HEY!"_, her lips stretched tautly over her teeth as she grinned unabashedly, "―and any guy would be lucky to have you on their arm."

"But I don't want a guy who wants me to hang off of them like I'm some cheap accessory!" Ino exclaimed with a sob, her face the picture of despair.

"I... I want a guy that wants me for _me._ That loves me for who I am, and not for what I look like. I want what you and Sasuke-kun have." Ino amended softly, her eyes misted over with tears as she opened her heart with a frankness that only she could possess. Sakura's eyes widened, clearly stunned by the blonde's admission, before her expression morphed into loving compassion.

"And that's what you shall get, Ino. You just need to be assertive. I don't think Sai would ever realise you exist otherwise." Sakura chuckled when she heard Ino muffle her surprised gasp in the palm of her hand.

"H-How did you―?"

"Oh _please_, Ino, you're more obvious than Captain Clarity. I think everyone realised you liked him long before even _you_ did." Sakura's voice dripped with amusement. Ino could be so blantantly airheaded sometimes that she was pitiable, but that made her all the more endearing to the pinkette.

''I guess so...'' Ino trailed off, embarrassment colouring her soft tone as she lay back on her plush mattress, twirling the ends of her long fringe around her index finger.

"What do I need to do to, well, catch his eye, Sakura? You're his teammate, so you should know him best of all after all these years together."

Sakura scoffed, rolling her eyes to the heaven's as she thought of the emotionally constipated ex-ROOT nin that put even Sasuke to shame when it came to feelings. His understanding was, admittedly, better than when they had first met; indeed, he had been quite the bleak basket-case.

But even so, his emotions developed slowly, and often he would come to Sakura for assistance in identifying them. It wasn't that she particuarly minded. She had come to value Sai as a dear friend and a wonderful source of entertainment whenever he was let loose upon Naruto on their squad missions, but sometimes he had the _worst possible timing_.

An intimate moment or five with Sasuke had been absolutely and irrevocably _ruined_ by his lack of social etiquette, and as he had never conformed to the usual nine to five working hour schedule, it should have been predictable. Never the less, it was safe to say that Sasuke had a healthy loathing for the dark haired invalid, as his face would visibly sour whenever the two were left to their own devices. Although Sakura was by no means a sadist, she couldn't help but enjoy their collective discomfort around each other, especially when specific anatomical additions were casually brought up in conversation by the clueless artist.

Sakura shook her head against the fluffy pillows beneath her head, sinking her full weight into the couch as she returned back to the conversation at hand.

"Ino, if I were to be blatantly honest with you, then I would suggest that you steer clear of the clueless wonder entirely. He's a tough nut to crack after all. But being the person that you are, I doubt that you'll heed that advice."

A loud _"You're damned right I won't!"_ was her response to that jibe. Sakura soldiered on regardless.

"But I think that is the kind of approach that is needed to rope him in, Pig. From my experience with him, you need to be assertive and aggressive as hell in order to keep his attention on you. Go on the attack! He certainly won't do you any favours in that regard, believe me." Sakura finished, utterly exasperated, lying back against the folded arm that she had slipped under her head and closing her eyes to the clock on the wall.

12:39pm. When would Ino's tirade end?

"You really think he'd, well, _get it_? I mean if I did that. If I were the one in control, then do you think he'd be willing to, you know, go out with me?"

"Ino, you're his only hope of ever having a relatively normal relationship. In fact, you're the only hope in hell he has at _ever_ keeping a girl besotted with him by just being his usual insulting self, period. So don't let your nerves get the better of you and just ask him out already." The pinkette shrugged off her weariness, finding that that was proving nearly ineffective as interia tugged at the frayed edges of her distracted conscience. She wanted to sleep, but only when Ino wasn't feeling so self-conscious.

"Well okay then, I guess. If you think I can do it, then I'll give it a go." Ino exclaimed with renewed vigor, her eyes smiling as brightly as her face before she rolled over to face her alarm clock. Flashing red numbers indicated that it was just short of one in the morning.

"Thanks for everything, Forehead. I'll let you go now. I think we both need sleep desperately after all of this gossip." They both laughed then.

"Yeah, you're probably right about that. I'm kind of drifting off here on the couch."

"Oh _god_, not that shitty fucking couch of yours! You seriously need to get a refund on that piece of shit, Sakura. Get that sensei of yours to put a deposit on a new lounge for you. Or better yet, ditch the couch and place claim on half of Sasuke-kun's apartment! Isn't about time the two of you moved in together? It's been, what, two years now?"

Sakura flushed scarlet. Did she really just go there at―1:07 in the blessed a.m.?

"Ino, not this again.."

"Don't 'not this again' me, Sakura! You two have been practically joined at the hip these last few months! What would be so weird about living together when you're already having sleepovers every other night when he's back in Konoha?" Ino inquired with a sinister smile cutting across her face. She was simply diabolical once she had started on a tirade. The last two hours were definitive proof of this.

"It's not as if you have anything to be shy about! You've already done the deed by now, surely. What's so embarrassing about sharing a bathroom?"

Sakura was eerily silent, her cheeks practically glowing under the intense lights of her corner lamps. Ino felt her heart lurch, and the realisation dawned on her; almost as quickly as she had unravelled the reason for Sakura's sudden quiet, had the blonde shot up on her bed, shrieking once more down the land-line.

"_NO FUCKING WAY_! YOU AND SASUKE _HAVEN'T HAD SEX YET_?! ARE YOU _SHITTING_ ME―"

"Oh my _god_ Ino, you _whore_, _shut the fuck up_!" Sakura hissed into her headset, face vermillion and eyes narrowed into a heated glare as she pounded her fist into the closest pillow. The seams burst apart under the crushing force of her punch, feathers exploding from within and billowing down around her flustered face.

"What Sasuke-kun and I have or have not done is _none_ of your damned business!"

"Sorry, Forehead. It's not a bad thing or anything. I'm just surprised is all. You two are so close, so I kind of just assumed that you'd, well, yeah―"

"Well we haven't, so can we please drop this already?" Sakura exclaimed tersely, not giving Ino a chance to respond, as she promptly hung up, throwing the phone across the room until it landed with a_ 'thud!'_ on the armchair in the corner.

Rolling inwards to face the interior of the couch, the pink haired med-nin wrapped her arms around her face, desperately staving off the heated blush that had settled on her cheeks. Sex had been far from either of their minds, and Sakura had been content with that decision to refrain from bringing it up. But the pressure had begun to mount when even Hinata had finally admitted to sleeping with Naruto for the first time a month ago.

The shy wallflower of their group had lost her virginity before Sakura, and although she wasn't fussed on issues of intercourse and was more than content to remain as she was in their relationship, something inside of her had wilted under the expectations of her friends. Even her parents had made the assumption that grandchildren were just over the horizon, and quite frankly, that could not have been any farther from the truth.

Now it wasn't as if Sasuke had exhibited zero interest in her. It was just that he was comfortable with the way that they were progressing as a couple, and if Sakura was truthful, so was she. She was in no hurry to have sex. She was content with the heat that they shared, without the added stress of performance anxiety on top of that.

But even so... she couldn't stop the slight tightening of her chest as she drifted off into a disturbed sleep, dreaming of dark hair and endless eyes devouring her entire existence whole betwixt twisted bed-sheets.

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Heat pervaded her senses, the tingling of her jittery nerves a firm reminder that it was cold and that falling asleep on her couch was a terrible idea, and she moaned softly as her once deadweight frame was lifted effortlessly into rigid warmth that was all too familiar to her slumbering awareness. Eyelids heavy with exhaustion, Sakura allowed her head to loll back against the firm expanse of a toned shoulder, nearly having to peel her eyes open with her numb fingers as she adjusted to the gloom of her apartment, submerged in darkness.

The peerless obsidian orbs of Uchiha Sasuke stared back at her, face carefully aloof as he studied the haggard lines and circles that bruised her usually vibrant visage. Never the less, she was still a wonder to behold, and Sasuke took his time taking her in as he carried her down the hallway to her bedroom. He was decked to the fullest in winter garb, and his normally pallid complexion was marred with molten blotches that stood out angrily against the refined cut of his cheekbones. Still, he was a sight for sore eyes, and Sakura's first instinct was to wrap her arms around his neck, nuzzling into him affectionately as he adjusted his grip on her so as to reciprocate her affectionate ministration.

He held her to him as he turned the wobbly knob of her bedroom door, pushing the barricade open with ease and letting it fall to a quiet close behind him as he strode over to her bed. Holding her weight with his prosthetic arm, Sasuke lifted the thick blanket thrown neatly over her mattress back, craning over and lowering the shivering pinkette into the stale cold of her kempt sheets before he stepped back; Sakura reached for him on an impulse to be close, to be warm again, and Sasuke smirked a little, the expression summoning delightful little butterflies in her stomach as he slipped out of his cloak and shirt without a pause in between, discarding the loose articles of clothing with a dismissive flick of his wrist onto the floor at his feet.

In just his loose khaki slacks, he was all sharp lines and rippling muscle, and Sakura had to bite her lip to stave off the moan of approval that his appearance stirred from within her. Without further adieu, Sasuke clambered onto the bed, sinking eloquently into the plush mattress with practiced ease before he reached out and pulled the flustered pinkette toward his bared chest.

Sakura noted the sluggishness in that single movement, and thus saved him the effort; all but barrelling into his naked torso, she snuggled into his heat, finally comfortable with her surroundings as she greeted her love softly in the din of the night, afraid that being too loud would disperse this wonderful dream from existence.

"Welcome home, Sasuke-kun."

She drifted off then, smiling into his collarbone as he pressed a fleeting kiss to the crest of her pink hair, his grip on her tightening imperceptibly as he too succumbed to slumber.

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"Do I look okay, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked with a twirl in the evening of his return, the glittering silk of her chiffon cocktail dress catching off of the dimmed lights in her bedroom.

Sasuke paused―having just stepped out of the shower―in drying his damp hair, dark eyes zeroing in on the petite woman admiring her reflection in a full-body mirror. The dress enhanced all of her assets in a manner that was entirely flattering and not garishly slutty, and her skin was showing in select areas that made Sasuke's fingers twitch on impulse. How he wanted to bare the rest that lay obscured beneath the silken fabric of her gown.

It was cream around the bodice, and opened into a flair of mousy brown from her waistline that dropped to just above her knees. She was pulling on a thick pair of stockings to match the ensemble, black stretched taut over the wonderful curves of her legs, and she was quick to add a pair of chestnut coloured leg warmers over her ankles to ensure an extra layer of warmth. A pair of heeled boots lay at the foot of her bed, unassuming, but Sasuke knew that they would look stunning on those lithe limbs of hers. He swallowed, mouth slightly drier than it had been a moment before.

She locked gazes with him in the mirror, face sweetly smiling in nervous anticipation as he gave his verdict. With a light spattering of pink dusting over his regal cheeks, Sasuke returned her stare with one filled to the brim with electric intensity.

"Beautiful."

It was the only word he said, but it carried all of the impact that a novella of love letters could never begin to express, and Sakura blushed under his scrutiny.

Never the less she was incredibly pleased, and she smiled jubilantly as she allowed her softly curling hair to fall neatly around her shoulders. While Sasuke pulled on his dress shirt and jacket, Sakura made sure to gather all of her gifts for the ensuing night's festivities into several bags, sorting out her purse in the kitchen as her boyfriend sidled down the hallway, ready in half the time she had taken to spruce up for the party.

"Ready to head out?" Sasuke questioned softly, expression decidedly gentle as he reached out for her hand.

She took it without hesitation, her grin brightening his sour disposition (regarding parties slash gatherings of any kind) as they exited her apartment, making sure to lock the door behind them before they made their way to the Hokage Mansion.

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The party was in full swing by the time they had arrived. Sasuke, although a stickler for keeping the time, was not anxious to get there in a hurry, so they had taken their time strolling through the busy streets of Konoha, checking out the evening stalls and responding to idle chit-chat as a means of delaying the inevitable. Sakura called out to every person she met with, wishing them a Merry Christmas whilst Sasuke walked stoically alongside her, fingers entwined with hers as he shot glares at any man who had the nerve to stare for even a moment at his lovely girlfriend.

Sakura, completely oblivious to the unwanted attention that she was receiving, smiled as she became invested in cheerful banter with Yamanaka Ino's mother, who was being overly gracious with her complimenting of the pink haired kunoichi. Although the idea of a rowdy party was unpleasant to Sasuke, at least there were some familiar faces that knew well of his overprotective nature pertaining to all things Sakura, and would not even think of turning their hungry eyes on her knowing the potential for a painful death at the hands of the ex-nukenin.

Tugging on her arm, Sasuke pulled her from her heated discussion with the elder Yamanaka woman, who could only giggle teasingly at the look of annoyance that had settled on Sasuke's face as he led the startled pinkette away. And thus they had arrived to loud, obnoxious music, made even more obnoxious by the drunken shinobi singing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs alongside it.

Sasuke scowled.

Sakura laughed outright at the petulant jut his lip had adopted at having been coerced into this scenario to begin with.

_Goddamned Naruto and his blackmailing ways―_

"Hey, Sakura-chan! Teme! You made it! It's about time!" Said blonde fluttered into their line of sight, and before either could protest, he had his arms thrown around their shoulders, leading them straight into the thick of the surrounding fray without so much as look behind him, his expression alight with festive cheer as he deposited of them on a couch that was occupied by a group of familiar faces.

"Forehead Girl! It's about time you showed up!" Ino exclaimed with a bubbly grin on her face, her arm not so discreetly tucked into Sai's as he sat there, a little flustered and anything but impassive to the attention that he was receiving from his apparent "accessory."

_Atta girl, Ino!_ Inner Sakura proclaimed with a hoot. _Reel him in!_

"Sorry we're late. I kept running into friendly faces that wanted to chat, so I kind of inadvertently dragged Sasuke-kun into the mingling." She shot him an apologetic look. He merely squeezed her hand in response, grunting mutely before he focused his attention on the bombastic blonde running his mouth off a mile a minute alongside him with a look of mild amusement on his face.

He really had learned to tolerate Naruto's penchant for inanity these past few years.

"Don't worry about it, my love! We have some things to discuss!" Ino exclaimed, nonplussed, before she stood from her place alongside the antsy Sai. She bent down, whispered something into the shell of his ear that had his pale cheeks heating up with a blush, before she sidled over to the pinkette, taking her by her remaining hand and tugging her to her feet as well; inevitably drawing the attention of the raven haired man clasping her left hand in his own.

"I am stealing your woman for a dance, and you can't stop me!" Was all Ino said to the proud man, still seated and stunned into silence at the bluntness of her casual remark, before she pried his fingers from the smiling pinkette's hand and all but dragged her into the pulsating masses that had overtaken Kakashi's mansion's floors.

Sakura's green eyes searched the crowd for that mane of silver hair that indicated her sensei's presence, and she found him leaning against the farthest wall from all of the action, looking bored as hell as one of his advisors chewed him out for his tardiness, as usual. Their gazes met briefly, and he sent her a two fingered salute that was quickly shot down by the fuming aid.

Sakura laughed, but it was breathy at best, as Ino was tugging her along until they were settled amidst the chaos of bodies throbbing with infectious Christmas cheer and techno beats. The blonde turned to face her then, arms folding around her neck and pulling her close, forcing Sakura's around her slim waist. They swayed to the beat, eyes locked on each other's for a fleeting moment before Ino's face lit up with a smile so bright that it put the sun to shame.

"I did it, Sakura! I was aggressive, and Sai agreed to go out with me!" The excitement that laced her tone was palpable, and was reinforced in the animated swinging of their hips as they moved in sync with the music. Sakura returned her smile with gusto.

"That's great, Ino! Good for you! I'm glad it worked out well!" Their eyes strayed back to where their friends were sitting, Sasuke still focused on Naruto whilst Sai was sending inconspicuous stares their way.

"He can't keep his eyes off of you, Pig. What'd you do to get him so transfixed and flustered?" Sakura asked, her voice one big, curious question mark as she directed a pointed stare at the blonde kunoichi.

"I _might_ have promised to model for him in the nude if he accompanied me to this party." Ino smirked deviously, and Sakura could only gape at her. She knew Ino had no issues about showing her naked body to people. What surprised her was the fact that she would make herself so vulnerable in front of the man she liked under the premise of only wanting one date from him.

"Are you _sure_ you made your intentions known to him, Ino? I don't want him to come to me in the middle of the night all broken and stuff because you weren't clear about what you wanted from him." A solid smack on her arm had Sakura laughing full-force, Ino quickly joining in on the giggling fit before she leaned into Sakura even more.

"Just so you're aware; Sasuke-kun is staring _right at you_, and _man_ does he look conflicted." Ino stated with amusement oozing from her pores, Sakura stiffening in her arms as the blonde tactfully tilted them around enough so that Sakura could observe the raven haired Uchiha from her peripherals. Indeed he was gazing fixedly in their direction, his face just short of tormented as Naruto openly gaped at their intertwined limbs. It all seemed platonic enough to them, but obviously not to the male population, most of whom had directed their unabashed ogling their way.

"Whoops. Looks like we got a little too hot for them to handle." Ino quipped with a seductive smile in Sai's direction, watching with delight as his cheeks flared up with a brutal vermillion hue. Sakura felt her own cheeks flood with warmth as Sasuke gripped his glass with enough force to shatter it; the shards fell forgotten to the ground, the dark haired Uchiha transfixed at the sight of Sakura lightly grinding against her blonde friend.

"Should we give them a show they'll never forget?" Ino whispered covertly into the shell of Sakura's ear, sliding her hands down the pink haired medic's arms before she raised them above both of their heads, those same impetuous hands trailing down her exposed limbs and ghosting down to her vivacious hips, where they stayed. Pulling her back flush to Ino's front, Sakura felt a thrill of anticipation drop into her gut at the intensity smouldering behind Sasuke's hooded ebony irises as she rocked her hips along with Ino's.

She felt a deep throb resonate through her stomach, sinking deeper still until the press of her thighs against one another caused a heated friction that had her squirming against the blonde kunoichi behind her. As if lulled into a trance, Sakura let her eyes fall to a close, using the momentum of the beat as the force that anchored her in place, her body swaying in delicious arcs of flesh that beseeched human touch.

It had been too long since she had let loose like this. The tension in her body unravelled alongside her inhibitions, and without a trace of alcohol in her system, Sakura had never felt more inebriated―her flesh tingling hotly under Ino's small hands.

The heat reached a blazing tempest before it subsided, being replaced with cool flames that licked at every inch of exposed skin on her body. Sakura's eyes snapped open at the solid frame that had settled behind her, large hands cupping the gentle slope of her waist with practiced precision as her arching body careened back into firm musculature.

When Sakura looked up, green eyes wide and a heated blush tearing across her lovely features, she was looking straight into the eyes of her stoic lover, who was anything but indifferent to her feminine wiles. Her lips parted to speak, but with a pointed grind against the small of her back courtesy of Sasuke's rocking hips, Sakura lost her ability to think coherently. Mind blank of thought, Sakura leaned into his eager touch, a sign of supplication that sent a thrill of adrenaline pumping through Sasuke's overactive system.

Her hands came to rest over the tops of his, fingers intwining with his clumsily as she rested her swaying frame against his, electrcity shooting up her spine when she brushed up against his toned chest. Sakura was lost in sensation, so she did nothing but feel.

The texture of his silky shirt against the slivers of exposed skin at her back.

The coarseness of his slacks against the velvety material of her tights―which had begun to cling too tautly to her now smothered legs.

The intense burning that had erupted within the core of her being.

Everything blurred around her but the feel of Sasuke's body against hers, and she loved it.

More than sex, there was something incredibly intimate about the way their bodies melded into one another, brushing up against each other in tentative teases that had them aching for something more substantial.

They had never experienced touch quite like this before, and as Sakura arched into his hands, which had trailed over her tummy to cup her aching breasts, confined behind layers of heavy material, and his lips pressing hot kisses to the side of her exposed throat, she knew that she would have to dance with Ino more often.

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**Ending Remarks:** _Hot enough for ya?_

_I am slowly building into the smut. How do you like thus far? C;_

_I had way too much fun writing this ahhhhhh― ¬/^/¬_

_Please review!_

_We are starting to reach the veritable climax, where fluff converges with citrus, so do be prepared for some adult funtime guys. ;3_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	12. Cake

**Author's Note:** _Once again, I kindly give you all my deepest gratitude for leaving such wonderful reviews. They really do inspire me to be a better author. (:_

_I apologise for the lateness. I kind of got stuck on how to write this one out LOL. You need an icebreaker for intense shit like this, after all._

_The rating has officially been bumped up to M, but that doesn't mean that there won't be any more fluff. Look for the corresponding ratings at the beginning of every chapter. :3_

_Skip this if citrus isn't your thing, guys. C;_

_**Additional Note: Listen to "**_Eternal Love_**" by **_Future World Music_** if you're interested.**_

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_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Twelve:** Cake

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**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura_**

**_Categories: Romance_**

**_Rating: M (for lime)_**

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Sakura had always loved sweets. Shaved ice infused with lemons were a particular favourite that the pinkette often indulged in in the summer, when the heat was unbearable and had everyone in the village seeing heatwave mirages three steps in front of them. But now that the frosty sleet of winter had fallen upon the Village Hidden in the Leaves, its reaches spreading far and wide throughout the land, Sakura had to find other desserts that could satiate her palette that did not carry the threat of impending frostbite.

When the small children admitted in the hospital discreetly stuffed candy into her dress pockets, she could never turn them down, even at the risk of expanding her waistline. Sakura had always been a glutton, after all, and did not see a reason to hide it. Most of her off-time was spent with Ino, Hinata and Tenten in the local tea house, sipping on hot beverages and eating dango fresh from the kitchen, and thus confectionery culture played a huge part in her socialisations as well.

Now that Christmas was just a day away, the pink haired kunoichi was scouring the marketplace for one such tempting treat, Sasuke trekking alongside her with a slight grimace on his face. Unlike her, who thrived off of collective interaction with the people around her, her stoic Uchiha lover was indifferent to the concept of being social, and tended to keep to himself; even small crowds made him tenser than razor-sharp wire.

But he was enduring his discomfort admirably, for her sake, his right hand entangled with hers whilst the prosthetic limb bore the weight of her Christmas shopping. Sakura smiled brightly up at him, and he looked down at her with an expression that was akin to tortured as she hauled him through the insanity of Christmas Eve trollers.

"We're almost done, Sasuke-kun!" She chirped with an animated grin back at his trailing frame, and she could feel the reluctance in his footsteps as she led him along to their final stop―the bakery.

Sakura knew from past experiences that the quaint business was well-equipped with decadent desserts lining every wall and shelf as far as the eye could see, and she wondered briefly if Sasuke's teeth would rot at the sight of so many sweets. He did not share her penchant for sugar, and was incredibly reluctant to ever put anything of the sort in his mouth as a result of this aversion. Naruto often took advantage of this distaste, using it as an excuse to devour the raven haired Uchiha's obligatory desserts whenever they went out to eat together. That was the only time when the blonde's obnoxious gluttony did not bother him.

The pinkette pushed open the door, the ringing of the little bells strung up upon the post above the entryway alerting the attentions of the clerk behind the display case in the centre of the room. Sakura felt her face brighten at the sight of the the store owner's welcoming smile.

"Ah, Sakura-san! Welcome back! I take it you're looking for something festive?"

"Yes, Akira-san. Right as always." Sakura responded kindly, green eyes drawn to the glittering Christmas decorations that were nearly outdone by the extravagant cakes and breads themselves. It made sense. They were meant to be the main attraction, after all. A plethora of reds, greens and whites invaded her senses, contrasting against vibrant, rich and rustic browns of varying hues and proportions.

A spicy sweetness permeated her nostrils, filling her with that familiar sensation that reminded her of Christmas as she tightened her grip on Sasuke's hand. She glanced up at him from the corner of her eye, noting the overwhelmed expression that had glazed over his countenance.

He had clearly not expected this, and that showed even more evidently in the nearly imperceptible flicker of wonderment that filled his wide onyx eyes. This was a new experience for the both of them; buying a Christmas cake for the first time for Sasuke, and buying a cake to share with with her boyfriend for the first time for Sakura. It made her more nervous than ever, because she knew that he was partial to very particular sensations on his tastebuds, and thus why it was important for him to be there to direct her towards something that he could tolerate.

Now she could very well just buy herself a small cake, knowing implicitly that Sasuke would neither mind nor particularly care either way.

"It's not like I'll eat it anyway," was what he had once so famously said when Naruto had swooped in to pilfer his chocolate-y treat, only to have Sakura smack him a good one for being so uncouth and uncivilised. She had learned then of his indifference to the joy of devouring the sugary delights that made her life so wonderful, and she wished to alter his perspective, if only a little.

Sasuke's eyes surveyed their surroundings while Sakura led him up to the viewing counter where Akira was waiting, a pleasant smile on her youthful face as the pinkette began ogling the glistening treats beneath the glass window.

"Is there anything that you would recommend for the festive season, Akira-san? I'm not especially partial to fruit-based confections, and Sasuke-kun isn't a fan of sweets like I am."

Akira adopted a thoughtful countenance, hand coming to rub her chin before a spark of inspiration flickered through her eyes.

"I think I have just the thing for the both of you." A warm smile lifted at her lips, and she beckoned them towards a display rack at the back of the store with a wave of her hand.

"A cake that is made for all occasions; simple, but best eaten hot, making it perfect for cuddling up on the couch during the winter season." Akira stated with an elegant flourish, pointing into the case at a small, round cake the size of a large discus. It was plain in comparison to the highly decorated pieces around it, with a smattering of frosting sugar covering the expanse of its dark brown base and only a small bundle of holly made of marzipan emblazoning it.

"Dark chocolate lava cake; bitter enough for those without a sweet tooth, and sweet enough to tickle your own tastebuds. Be sure to heat it up for at least three minutes before serving it in order for the chocolate in the centre to melt. And it can be served," Akira paused her speech for emphasis, striding over to another shelf and grabbing a can from the very top, before returning to their sides―Sasuke looking perplexed and Sakura curious. "With any variety of cream. Whipped or thickened, both blend marvelously with the decadence of the cocoa, and it will help to distill the bitterness of the dark chocolate."

Still wearing her business-cut grin, Akira handed the can of whipped cream to Sakura, who inspected it with eyes alight with excitement. She was a glutton for whipped cream. She was sold. Sensing an impending sale, the young shopkeeper straightened with an unruffled air of accomplishment engulfing her tall frame. Sakura had to hand it to her; for someone so young, probably only a year or two older than herself, the woman had shown a lot of professionalism, not once turning her yearning gaze to the incredibly handsome Uchiha attached to her hip, instead focusing on doing her job and doing it well.

Although she had come to know Akira as an acquaintance of sorts―from her sometimes too frequent visits to window shop her goods―and quite liked the girl, she knew what effect Sasuke had on women. It was a natural and deadly appeal that they had both lived with for as long as they had been able to walk, and she had expected more of a reaction, especially considering the fact that very few women ever had the chance to get a look at Sasuke at such a close range. Heedless to say, Sasuke seemed surprised by this as well, for he had been tense at her side, dreading that impending moment when the woman would turn her lustful gaze his way with little regard for the pinkette of whom he was holding hands with. Akira had not, and her reputation had gone up several notches in both of their books.

"I take it that you are interested in purchasing this as a combo?" Akira quipped with razor-like focus, blue eyes observing Sakura's resolved expression as she looked to Sasuke for confirmation. He merely nodded in response, squeezing her hand and nudging her in the attendant's direction. Sakura faced her then with a smile so beautiful that both parties felt their hearts jump in their chests.

"Yes! I'll take them both, please, Akira-san!"

Nodding in satisfaction, Akira thumbed the collection of keys at her hip, fingers quickly picking out the needed device before inserting it into the lock that kept the airtight, airconditioned box closed. Turning the deadlock over, she slid the case open, reaching in to pull the metal tray that the cake sat upon off and out of the display.

"You have a decisive eye, Sakura-san. I'm more than sure that this will suit both of your tastes." She flashed a winning smile in their direction, practically skipping over to the front counter with them in tow, a bemused expression coming into focus over Sasuke's handsome face.

Now he wasn't all too thrilled at the idea of eating cake. He was more than happy to give his share to Sakura, knowing full well what a ravenous beast she could become over confectioneries, simply because he did not enjoy the overabundance of sugar that wafted into his mouth whenever he did feel the notion for something that was not of a savoury disposition or a tomato.

But the fact that she had gone to all of this effort to ensure that he enjoyed the experience too was incredibly endearing, and he couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the taut pull of his lips as he looked down at the soft pink curls falling from Sakura's head. The transition from freezing air to warmth had curled the fickle locks around one another, and Sasuke fought the urge to wrap them around his fingers and _pull_.

Sakura pulled her hand from his so that she could reach into her handbag searchingly for her purse, but Sasuke placed a gentle hand over hers, prying it away from her bag with a smirk slipping unwittingly onto his face. Sakura's eyes snapped up to meet with his, and he held her gaze whilst pulling out is own satchel, depositing the required amount of money into the awaiting palm of Akira, who watched the exchange with great amusement on her pretty face.

"I've got it." Was all he said, softly murmuring those words for her ears alone, before he took the bag from the attending shop owner with a curt nod of thanks and looped his fingers through hers once more.

"Thank you very much! Please come again!" Akira proclaimed with an elegant bow in their direction, Sakura murmuring reassurances that she would definitely come back to sample her New Year cakes over her shoulder as Sasuke led them back into the throngs of pushy people littering their streets like rodents.

Sakura tightened her grip on Sasuke's hand, and he used his body as a shield from both the cold, and from the villagers surrounding them on all sides of whom were ungracious enough to shove her about amidst the mayhem. His warmth flooded into her through their connected palms, and Sakura's cheeks darkened when she felt his pulse beating steadily against her open fist.

It really was a very intimate gesture that they were sharing, and even after two years of dating, she still wasn't used to his heated touch. Sasuke slowed his pace, pulling his hand from hers only to slip it around her shoulder, pulling her from the path of a drunk labourer who was out looking for some fun, his drunken cat calls all falling on deaf ears. Sakura shuddered at the thought of having run into him without Sasuke there to save her from his grasp.

After all, there was only a certain number of times that she could beat up a civilian without getting sent to ANBU for incarceration.

Smiling at Sasuke's chivalry, the two made their way back to his apartment, considering the fact that it was closer than hers was, and it was also more spacious for spending quality Christmas time together―Sakura painfully aware that Sasuke had yet to remove his arm from around her petite frame.

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Sasuke turned the deadlock over, sliding the bolt and chain into place at the head of his doorway before he turned to slip out of his boots, mirroring Sakura's bowed stance as he tugged them off and placed them on the shoe rack against the far wall. Sasuke lifted the grocery bags from their place on the landing into his curled fists, making his way into the expansive kitchen while Sakura followed suit, her feet padding in a light jog as she hastened her pace to catch up with his long strides.

She always felt awed by how utterly spacious Sasuke's place was, even more so when the interior decorating, although sophisticated and very him, was sparse. The raven haired Uchiha was a man of strict discipline, and even in times of peace, he kept very little to his name in case he needed to slip away unseen.

But it was the little touches here and there that told her that he lived here, and that it was home, if only temporary. A stray novel or two left on the expensive coffee table, bookmarked and clearly ready to be continued at any time should he feel the notion whilst lounging on his huge black leather couch. Potted plants, well cared for, decorating the feature wall with vibrancy and colour. An abandoned shirt, hanging carelessly over the back of the matching leather love seat.

But her favourite addition by far were the photographs, displayed tastefully and proudly on the walls all around them. Pictures of his family in abundance (it had taken him two years of contemplation outside of the village before he finally felt ready to accept their loss, and wear their memories on his walls with a smile.)

Photographs of Team Kakashi, from youth to adolescence. Pictures of her, of them, together with pictures of his travels―there were few of those to account for, but the ones that he had managed to capture were truly exceptional, once again summoning the question of why he was so good at everything.

Sakura shook her musings from her mind, turning and making her way into the intimidatingly large kitchen to see Sasuke unpacking their haul and putting it all away into their respective storage places. Whilst he made himself busy with that important task, Sakura nearly giggling over how domestic he looked considering his formidable status in the shinobi world, the pinkette made her way over to the kitchenette, pulling out the dark chocolate lava cake from its bag and setting the box onto the counter.

Bringing out the cutlery with Sasuke's help―he all but slipped himself in place behind her, hand reaching what she could not and placing them in her hands with a brush of his lips against her temple and a contented expression on his face; seems she wasn't the only one thinking about how domestic they looked―Sakura placed the cake onto the china plate. Slipping it into the microwave, she set it for three minutes before sorting out some hot beverages for the two of them.

Normally Sasuke would settle for coffee since he needed the extra adrenaline fix, but at this time of night, having eaten out in public and defied his sensibilities regarding social interaction, he needed to unwind.

"Green tea, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura questioned with a glance in his direction, said man pausing in his proactive movements in order to consider her.

"Please." He affirmed tersely, returning his attention to packing away their shopping for tomorrow's festivities. Smiling in satisfaction at his answer, Sakura prepared the tea with deft efficiency, the kettle hissing at the boil just as the timer went off on the microwave. She pulled out the softly steaming cake, placing it on the kitchenette once more before she poured the hot water into two cups, mixing the tea thoroughly before disposing of the teabags in the bin underneath the kitchen sink.

Lifting the cups by their handles, Sakura carried them out into the living area, placing them on the porcelain coasters that were piled neatly on the coffee table. She turned to retrieve the cake, only to see Sasuke walking out with it in his good hand, the false limb proffering the stainless steel cutlery to her open palms. She took them along with the hand itself in her own, leading him to rest comfortably on the couch. He sat with a grace that she envied relentlessly, his right hand placing the hot plate onto the table whilst his remaining arm wound around her shoulders, pulling her to his side like a magnet would its polar side, his chin coming to rest upon the top of her head.

Sasuke exhaled, deep and weary, his frame losing its former tension as he indulged in the warmth of her body for a moment, Sakura's heart thumping chaotically beneath her breastbone. He had true moments of affection that startled her into silence most days, moments that had the pink haired kunoichi yearning for more, but she had learned to be content with what they did share already, for it was not a commonplace thing for Sasuke to feel cuddly out of his own volition. Sakura inhaled to steady her skyrocketing pulse, Sasuke's heady scent filling her with heat as she rested her temple against the taut stretch of bone and muscle that made up his chest.

"We should probably eat the cake before it gets cold." Sakura intoned softly, an amused giggle following his blunt monosyllabic grunt. She knew how little he could tolerate sweets, but she was determined to make this a memorable experience for him. Still leaning her weight into his side, Sakura reached for the plate, thanking the heavens for having the foresight to leave the can of whipped cream on the table on the way into the kitchen.

Sasuke plucked the can from her hand, scrutinising it with a slight scowl. Sakura laughed openly at the furrow that had settled in his brow, her hand coming up to swipe it from his grasp as he looked down at her with a grimace.

"Do I have to eat it?" Sasuke asked, an almost petulant lilt to his parted lips as she took in his reluctance with a grain of salt.

"Yep!" She responded chirpily, leaving no further room for complaint as she doused the warm cake with a thick spray of the whipped goodness. Sasuke's eye twitched at the sight, stomach curling in discomfort at the daunting sight before him.

"Naruto would probably have referred to that as _one hot cumshot_." Sasuke whispered gutterally into the shell of her ear, amusement clear in his tone as Sakura's head jerked in his direction so fast that she feared that she had given herself whiplash.

"_Sasuke-kun_! That's so vulgar, _oh my god_―" Sakura spluttered, at a loss for words as her cheeks flushed vibrantly in the dimmed lighting of his apartment. Sasuke wore a satisfied smirk on his lips, one that was quickly wiped from his face with a stab of a fork at his mouth, which parted at the sudden intrusion; only to have the bittersweet texture of chocolate melting over his tastebuds. Infused with the coolness of the sweetened cream, Sasuke was pleasantly surprised at how the dessert didn't offend his usual sensibilities.

Sakura tittered at the sight of Sasuke's brow furrowing and raising around him chewing tentatively at the sweetened treat, trying to gauge whether or not he liked it. Slipping a small bite into her mouth, Sakura had to fight the urge to moan aloud at the decadent euphoria that settled in her orifice, her eyes closed for a blissful moment before she felt Sasuke's hand take a hold of hers.

Surprised, her emerald irises raised to meet Sasuke's neutral expression as he cut into the cake and popped it into his mouth with a feigned casualness that set off the butterflies in her stomach. With his hand wrapped around hers, it looked as if she was feeding him, and an unrelenting well of heat settled in her stomach at the insinuation.

"Is it good?" Sakura asked with an expectant smile, already knowing the answer from his previous movement. The raven haired Uchiha paused in his chewing, focusing on her face for a mere moment before he swallowed the morsel with perfunctory proficiency; Sakura's eyes glued to the way his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he digested the molten delight. She swallowed, mouth unbearably dry.

"I know what would make it better." Sasuke stated with a slow, sinful smirk lifting at his plush lips. His sooty eyes carried an intensity that made the pinkette squirm in her seat, and as he leaned down to her level, Sakura swore her heart was about to combust.

Sasuke tilted his head, observing her up close before he closed the distance between their faces, his tongue swiping across her bottom lip until he had licked off the remnants of chocolate-y cream from her mouth, said orifice falling apart in a stupor of clear surprise. Sasuke took this as his chance to dip his tongue indulgently into her mouth, giving it a deft sweep before he retracted it safely between his own lips, which tugged suggestively on hers on the way. Sakura gasped, her heart pounding hard enough that she swore it would jump into her mouth and straight into Sasuke's waiting arms.

Blushing profusely, the pink haired medic was unable to summon the words to express her bemusement, giving Sasuke the opportunity to take another forkful of lava cake for himself. Only this time he did not have the intention of swallowing it. Without any time to process his sudden closeness, Sakura felt Sasuke's lips close over hers, slanting firmly over her parted orifice and tonguing her with a hot mess of crumbling cocoa and whipped cream that had her insides melting down to the syrupy consistency of the dark chocolate sauce pervading her senses.

She moaned against her better judgement, Sasuke's hands resting firmly on the curved arcs of flesh that were her hips and tracing burning paths over the covered flesh. Suddenly she was wearing way too much, as her skin felt as if it had been set ablaze. A heated trail of sweet saliva trickled down Sakura's chin as she broke away for air, her lungs screaming in protest at their blatant abuse as she swallowed the remants of the melted cake alongside a gulp of oxygen―Sasuke's tongue lapping up the sticky substance with a deft stroke that raised the hairs on Sakura's body from top to bottom.

A shuttered exhalation broke the chain of pants that fell from her mouth, Sasuke quickly filling the room and her lips with blissful silence as another hot mouthful of cake drizzled down her cavern alongside an impertinent tongue. Sakura wound her hands in Sasuke's dark hair, tugging him closer as she pushed the cake off of his lap so that she could settle there in its place, her nearly limp limbs shaking as she hefted her weight over his thighs. Thankfully his hands aided in guiding her there, helping her to settle as they grasped at her upper thighs greedily. She squirmed against him, igniting a fire in his gut that was lusty and made of raw carnality.

Sakura dragged her tongue over his teeth, flicking at his upper lip as she tilted her head heavenward, the string of saliva connecting their mouths dispersing as she ground down on his rapidly hardening erection with a loud keen of approval. His fingers twitched against her covered flesh as his hips rocked up to meet with hers, his lips parting at the sharp flare of pleasure that spiked its way up his spine; falling into his gut and curling ever-tighter as his vision hazed over briefly at the sensations coursing through him. Sakura started when she felt Sasuke yank the hem of her sweater up and over her hips, her stunned expression falling away at the sight of Sasuke's heavy gaze upon her.

She traced the woollen material to its lightly fraying edges, tugging it up and over her head and ridding herself of it on the coffee table as she leaned down to kiss Sasuke once more; feeding him her share of chocolate cake with a desperation that she had not been aware that she had possessed within her. Sasuke kissed her feverishly, hands sliding up the exposed flesh of her stomach before they came to cup her breasts, his fingers pressing into the heavy globes until he felt her nipples straining against the thin material. Sakura shuddered against him, moaning deeply and fervently into his mouth as she rolled her hips sinuously against his own, unsure if the molten heat of the cake was the cause of her fluster or the rapidly approaching threat of treacherous orgasm.

The faster she pulsed her aching centre against his tented pants, the more frenzied her kisses became. Sasuke pulled his lips from her own, trailing his lips in butterfly kisses across her jaw until he had tickled his way down her throat, his teeth nipping at the flesh of her collarbone as he yanked down the flimsy material of Sakura's brassiere with two frisky hands aching to touch her bare (even if only one hand could truly _feel_ her.)

He rolled the pert treasures between thumb and forefinger, tugging them gently and eliciting a spastic jerk of Sakura's whole body atop him, her hands pulling on his hair insistently. He kissed her chin, his right hand trailing down her side until he had retrieved their dessert fork, lying forgotten alongside them, scooping up some of the oozing sauce and softening whipped cream, a playful smile on his lips as he pressed the cold metal against the beginnings of her breasts. The hot liquid sent an electric jolt straight into the tightening coil in Sakura's tummy, and she groaned hoarsely as the sticky substance took the scenic route over her areola and quivering nipple.

Sasuke made quick work of dragging his tongue up and over the camber of her full left breast, his prosthetic fingers working her remaining nipple into oblivion as he twirled his wet glossa around the sensitive peachy flesh of her areola, purposely diverting from her twitching peak as he lathered up the last of the bittersweet concoction with a smirk against her chest. Sakura continued to buck her hips against his, her pants loud and near primal as she scraped her nails against his clothed back.

He swallowed her protests with a searing, mind-numbing kiss that washed all thought from existence in her hazy mind, and the sheer intensity of his ministrations were enough to snap the periliously curling bundle of pleasure in her stomach. Sakura's surprised cry of completion was extinguished by insistent tongue and teeth, her entire frame stiffening while her hips gyrated a broken song of sensate delight against his rigid hips.

The guttural groan that echoed in the depths of his chest mirrored her own heated climax, and as Sakura sagged against him, arms folded loosely around Sasuke's shoulders and face buried in the crook of his neck, she couldn't help but feel content at the thought that perhaps dessert time wasn't so bad for him after all.

As for Sasuke? Well, he couldn't _wait_ for New Years.

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***.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.***

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**Ending Remarks:** _Well how about that? It has been a while since I have written anything remotely citrus flavoured, oh god, I hope I did it some justice― D:_

_Now if this doesn't encourage you to leave me a review, then I don't know what will._

_Do look forward to the next update. C;_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	13. Mission (Part I)

**Author's Note:** _So we're getting on in this story, and I'm so glad you all seem to enjoy it so much. It really revitalises my inspiration to write fanfiction, especially after the terrible state I've been in these last few years. Thanks for bringing me out of my perpetual slump!_

_As my way of saying thank you, and Merry Christmas, I will be bringing you not one, but two chapters; both interweaved for your viewing pleasure. Please do enjoy._

**My songs of the day: "**Lust for Blood**" by **_GACKT_ **and the "**Armoured Titan OST**" from **_Shingeki No Kyojin_**.**

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_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Thirteen:** Mission (Part I)

**_._**

**_Characters: Team Kakashi_**

**_Categories: Action, Adventure, Friendship, Romance_**

**_Rating: M (For language, violence)_**

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"Sakura-chan, look out!" Naruto's gravelly voice, hoarse from screaming, exploded in the atmosphere like a clap of unrelenting thunder, dispersing the heavy sound of metal grating against metal and drawing the focus of those within vicinity of his despairing cry of warning. Sakura responded to Naruto's grating holler with startling proficiency, throwing her weight to the cragged earth at her feet and artfully rolling out of the path of a rogue shinobi's ferocious assault with practiced precision ingrained into her very bones by Tsunade-sama herself.

Evasion was a necessary asset in her training as a medical ninja, and thus maneuvering herself out of harms way was child's play.

The ragged nukenin, drenched in sweat and reeking of the scent of death, came to a shuttering halt, sandals digging into the firm earth and pumping chakra into his soles as he about-faced in the pinkette's direction; only to be met with a fierce chakra-laden punch to the face that shattered his nose and sent the cartilage into his brain.

Death on impact was yet another specialty that Sakura had pounded into her body rigorously over many years of ruthless training.

She shifted her green eyes elsewhere, scouting the area for further threats whilst expanding her chakra out like a makeshift beacon, using it to detect hidden foes all the while throwing her weight forward, using the momentum as a buffer against strategic attacks made from the shadows. She cut through the barren wasteland, sending chakra throughout her entire body as she spring-boarded into the thickened canopy of trees that led away from enemy territory; the pink haired med-nin prayed that luring them into neutral grounds would force them to retreat, or at least play into their awaiting trap.

Heart thumping erratically behind her breastbone, Sakura barelled through the treetops, her lithe form barely settling atop the branches long enough for them to shift under her weight, eyes narrowed as she took note of the multiple flares of unfamiliar chakra signals slipping into focus within her sensory jutsu. She scowled, counting at least ten nukenin on her tail and gaining wind on her. Biting her lip, the pinkette searched her surroundings resourcefully, praying to whatever god was up there that she could evade the troupe of exiled shinobi before they caught up with her and cleaved her through the middle.

A distinct crackling echoed in her eardrum, and Sakura's heart fluttered at the sound of Naruto's concerned voice permeating her senses.

"_Oi, Sakura-chan! Where are you now? Sai and Yamato-taichou finished off the strays, and we need to regroup! Are you okay?_"

Sakura was panting harshly into the microphone, filling the blonde with a deepening pool of dread that unsettled him endlessly.

She was in trouble.

"N-Naruto...! I led the stragglers into the forest, thinking that they'd back down, b-but... they haven't!" Sakura gasped through desperate inhalations, her body ramrod stiff as, out of the shadows, a cluster of shuriken cut through the frigid air and careened toward her.

Recoiling, Sakura threw herself backwards, flipping onto the nearest branch and cursing when the fragile limb snapped under her sharp landing.

"Shit!"

And then she was tumbling towards the dead earth below, ten feet, twenty feet; and a loud _'thud!'_ finally sounded. Having readjusted her posture midair, Sakura was able to land on both feet, but heavily, one of her ankles rolling under the pressure of gravity colliding with matter. A piercing pain shot up her leg, and Sakura fought back the urge to cry out at its relentless sting. Gasping for breath, Sakura settled in an awkward crouching position, resting on her left foot whilst her damaged ankle lay, broken and useless, against the steely ground, her leg folded outwards to accommodate for its discomfort.

"N-Naruto... I think I might be in trouble." Sakura exclaimed bitterly, anxiety filling her to the brim as twelve cloaked nukenin dropped from the sky as if they were made of air, appearing out of nothingness just as quickly as they could slip into it.

Ever the observant soul, Sakura remained tactfully belligerent, emerald irises scanning their apparel for any distinguishing features as she formulated a plan to keep them at bay for as long as possible. At least then, her teammates would have the chance to escape before the bastards could go after them. Tapping into her chakra reserves, Sakura channelled them into her rapidly swelling ankle, body tense and ready to respond to the threat of violence with a few tricks of her own.

"_Hold on, Sakura-chan! We're on our way, okay?! Don't do anything reckless!_" Naruto growled profusely, and Sakura almost smiled, knowing that he had to be wearing that infuriatingly endearing look of concern and determination on his face. Knowing him, he would be here in half the time it had taken her to get this far, running purely on adrenaline after such an intense battle.

Nowadays, it was a rarity to encounter danger on the road, least of all in the form of nukenin; factoring in the evidence of a whole band of rogue shinobi usurping their peaceful lands had led to Kakashi's deployment of several elite ninja squads, in the hope of eliminating the threat before it catalysed into all-out warfare once more. Naturally, the heroes of the Leaf were the first on the list of candidates, and they had been all too happy to oblige.

"More than anyone else out there, I know that the four of you can accomplish at least part of this task," Kakashi had stated firmly, voice resolute and dripping with a confidence that no one in the room could ever begin to dispute.

"Because you are my team. I have grown with all of you, some longer than others, but never the less―I digress. I trust you implicitly to remove this issue from our Bingo Book, before matters transpire any further. It would be nice to avoid any future calamities, after all." He had finished with a smile obscured behind his trademark mask, eyes uncharacteristically somber as he absorbed the expressions of his team in solemn silence.

They had merely nodded in response, an exuberant _"Sure thing, Kakashi-sensei!"_ falling from Naruto's smiling lips as they accepted their mission without a trace of hesitance in their countenances.

And thus here they were, trouncing a group of conspiring evildoers and getting cornered in the middle of neutral grounds because of it. At least Sakura was, as on all sides she had an opponent to contend with. Now had she had her full strength, the outcome would have invariably been different. Her mastery of the Hundred Strengths jutsu had given her a fearsome reputation in the shinobi world, and coupled with her unrivalled skill in medical ninjustsu, she made to be quite the catch for those looking for a couple million ryo for her head.

Obviously this was a well known fact amongst the rogues around her, for they all wore greedy, bloodthirsty smirks on their faces.

Dammit.

Sakura was heavily outnumbered, injured, and short on energy reserves. Soldier pills were of no use to her now, in her fatigued state, and without having made it within the vicinity of her trap zone, the pinkette was in serious shit.

And fuck did her enemies know it, for in their very stances they dripped with impending victory. The cuts and bruises on Sakura's skin stung, but were quickly numbed by both her healing chakra and the frosty air around them. Although it was winter time in Konoha, here in Amegakure it was wet with only rain; and the chill that the droplets spread about through the folds of her bloodstained, torn ninja garb only served as a reminder that winter was just as unpleasant in other countries regardless of how it falls.

A trickle of agitation shot down Sakura's spine when one of the bolder nukenin began to close the tight space between them, her frame absolutely riddled with tension as she coiled for a powerful blow to the overconfident whelp. His straggly hair stuck to his face, the cloying moisture from rain mixed with perspiration doing little for his gaunt disposition as he pulled a kunai from his holster; strapped tautly around his left thigh.

A flicker and then he was gone, reappearing without any warning behind the pinkette. And with no time to react, still heavily incarcerated by her painful leg wound, Sakura could do little to prevent the sharp blow delivered to the back of her neck, followed by that sharpened kunai's descent into her side.

She screamed then, unprepared for the searing sensation of her side being slit wide open, blood gushing from the deep wound just beneath her fourth rib. The blade was shoved in to the hilt, glinting dimly in the darkness overhead, Sakura's hope of survival diminishing rapidly as she coughed up a thick mouthful of crimson all over the ground beneath her face.

A barrage of violent kicks shifted muscle around bone, and Sakura sobbed when her head was slammed mercilessly into the muddy dirt by a grinning kunoichi, who was missing several teeth and was sallow enough that the pink haired medic could nearly see the hot blood running through her veins against the taut pull of skin.

"So much for this bitch's rep for being the strongest kunoichi that ever lived!" One of the rogue's taunted mercilessly, jabbing at her with a katana dulled with countless deaths, ripping yet another pained howl from her bleeding, chapped lips. A chorus of laughter followed at the man's jibe, which quickly transformed into garbled screams of absolute agony as an explosion of chirping birds sounded in its place.

Green eyes swollen and filled with crimson, Sakura was unable to determine the source of the screaming, her throat tightening as reflections of electric blue fizzled over the surface of the her blood, which had pooled around her in expansive puddles.

The pitchy static of lightning filled her ears, then, clear as day as Sakura felt the overwhelming and devastating wrath of Uchiha Sasuke as he tore into the twelve missing nin with deadly precision and the unrelenting desire for their deaths.

His intent to kill washed over her in waves, and for a brief moment Sakura was afraid of his endless surge of violent power; this fear was amplified tenfold when black flames shot up from the ground, spearing through her tormentors like butter and tearing bloodcurdling cries from their lips as they burned in flames that could never be extinguished. The very embodiment of cold, unforgiving vengeance at its absolute worst.

Choking on another mouthful of blood, Sakura moaned in pain, body curling in on itself as a vibrant purple shroud formed around her trembling figure, the makings of Sasuke's Susano'o swallowing her terror and replacing it with relief as the black flames scoured relentlessly into the broken earth beneath her equally broken body. Only ashes remained in the wake of their demise, and Sasuke brusquely shrugged off his remaining rage when he caught sight of Sakura's battered frame. A deep churning settled in his gut, recognised as unbridled anxiety as the raven haired Uchiha teleported to her side in an instant that she could not catch in her weary condition.

Sasuke quickly knelt down alongside her, pulling her gently into his arms as he crooned affectionately into her ear, doing his best to ensure that she maintained her position as best he could.

"S-Sa...s...uke...-k...un..." Sakura murmurmed between gasps of pain. Breathing through broken ribs was nearly impossible, and as she hissed in unrepressed agony, Sasuke brushed frantic fingers through her hair, pressing a solid kiss to her bleeding temple as gently as he could as he cradled her frail figure against his warm chest.

"Shhh, Sakura, I'm right here. Just breathe, baby. Just breathe." Sasuke intoned softly, his voice hoarse as he held back the urge to scream. Not again. He couldn't lose someone he loved so very much. _Never again_.

"Y...ou... came..." Sakura continued weakly, tears leaking traitorously from the corners of her bruised eyes as she leaned into his shoulder with her full weight.

_I'm safe now... Nothing can hurt me here._

The last thing that she had been expecting was Sasuke, to be honest. The last that she had heard from him, he was well past the borders of Kumo, and it was at least a week's travel from there to here. But here he was, defying all of her expectations once more, and she could not have loved him more for being there to save her from death's impending door.

"I did. As soon as Kakashi's messenger summon reached me, I headed back the way I'd come." Sasuke proclaimed, his expression burdened with grief as he cupped her bruised face between gentle palms.

"I'll always come back for you." The words were laced with sincerity, and Sakura had to suppress the urge to sob at the sweetness that accompanied its unspoken insinuation. She was sure that her body would fall apart if she did so.

"I kn...ow... Sasuke-kun." She rasped in response, gripping his hand over her deepest wound as he pumped chakra into her system, desperate to keep it stimulated and alert. It did not matter how much he had to give to her to heal her wounds. She could suck him dry and he would be content, knowing that it had been him that had saved her from the brink of passing.

"Take it, Sakura. Take all of it." _Take all of me_.

Sakura smiled falteringly, the motion stinging at her broken jaw and cheekbone and forcing it from her face as she concentrated on healing the worst of her ghoulish injuries.

A familiar flare of fluctuating chakra alerted the pair of Naruto's impending arrival before he burst through the foliage, fraught with the burdensome load of an endless downpour as the blonde skittered to an abrupt halt on the slippery surface of the bloody massacre at his feet; Sai and Yamato on his toes moments later. Naruto's blue eyes widened in horror at the sheer extent of the bloodshed around him, slowly taking in the presence of powerful black flames roaring even under the thundering rain, before his gaze snapped over to the brightened form of his best friend's Susano'o in the near distance.

His grin was short-lived when he caught an eyeful of Sakura, bloodied, broken and nearly dead in Sasuke's trembling arms, and a cold twist in his gut told him that she was too far gone to be saved now.

"_SAKURA-CHAN_!" No sooner had his feet left the ground when he heard the heavy footfalls of his comrades behind him, quickly falling into step alongside him as he all but cut through the rain without a drop of it touching his boiling skin. And then they were at her side, Naruto falling in a graceless heap alongside the lovers with hollow panic settling over his sun-kissed face.

"Fucking shit-fucking _fuck_! _Sasuke_, what _happened_ to her? _Who the fuck did this_?" Naruto roared vehemently, his cerulean orbs flashing vermillion in the dimness of their temporary shelter from the rain, the blonde not even pausing to marvel over Sasuke's immediate admittance of him into his jutsu.

Said man raised his darkened gaze to meet with Naruto's; he was covered in wounds of his own, one arm curled over his stomach protectively as blood seeped through his jacket to gay abandon. His own pain had been forgotten in lieu of Sakura's, though, and Sasuke could see that resolve in his taut expression.

"Nukenin ambush." Was all he said, but it spoke volumes with the self-depreciating jinchuuriki, who clenched his remaining fist tightly against his thigh before he slammed it into the hard earth beneath them.

"_FUCK_!" The word captured every man's feelings in that moment as helplessness overtook them; all any of them could really do was fold their hands over Sasuke's, pouring what little reserves of chakra they had left into the deathly pale pinkette lying prone across his lap.

"We're right here, Sakura-chan. Hold on. _Please_..."

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***.*.*.*.*.TBC.*.*.*.*.***

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**Ending Remarks:** _Here I giveth you the first part! It was a little short and more on the angsty/action side of things, but it will really set the pace for the next chapter guys! _

_Please bear with me!_

_I will upload the next part in a couple of hours (I have to write it first lol, it'll probably be long to ease your suffering a little bit to boot), so be sure to look out for that. (:_

_Please leave me a review! I hope to see you for some more steamy fluff in the next installment! C;_

_Until later, I guess._

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	14. Mission (Part II)

**Author's Note:** _MERRY CHRISTMAS MINNA-SAN! I hope you have had a fruitful day. I sure have. :3 Here is the promised sequel chapter. Please enjoy!_

**Playlist: "**哀しみの讃歌**"**** (**Kanashimi no Sanka**/**_Hymn of Sorrow_**, my favourite **_Sadie_** song) by Sadie and "**Baraado** (**_Ballad_**)" by **Inoue Marina**.**

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_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Fourteen:** Mission (Part II)

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_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto; with mentions of the rest of Team Kakashi**_

_**Categories: Romance, Family, Friendship**_

_**Rating: M (for heavy? coarse language lol)**_

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Sakura woke up aching all over four days later, in a shabby little inn in the middle of nowhere. Dense shrubbery surrounded her for miles, and she knew then that they had made it back to the neutral territory of Ame in one piece. Mostly. Her throbbing body distinctly protested at the notion of being referred to as wholly "there" after her horrific beating, and the pinkette winced when she attempted to shift unsuccessfully into a seated position.

Left eye sealed shut under the voluminous swelling that had puffed up like a bird on display, Sakura rolled her head slightly to her right, taking in the dimmed surroundings lit up by the flickering flame of a waning candle. She was in a small room, no bigger than her apartment's tiny kitchen, boxed in all all sides by decaying walls stained with rain water and peeling apart like flaky tuna. There was a damp, musky scent pervading her senses, hanging ominously with every breath she took into her system as she scanned the remaining space with her bruised right eye. Not doubt she was sporting a killer blacky.

There wasn't much in the way of interior decorating in the bedroom, the entire space consisting of an old, decrepit dresser, a precariously wonky rocking chair in the far corner (which wasn't really all that far away, realistically), and a wardrobe whose door was hanging by a tenuously loose fixture. The key feature, it seemed, was the bed upon which she was lying, and even that was a creature comfort at best. It offered only a little more elevation for her wounds to set and heal, and creaked with every shaky inhalation she took into her lungs. The mattress was thinning out, sagging deceptively deep under her light frame so that she was cocooned in springy cushioning.

The only redeeming feature seemed to be the over-fluffed pillow beneath her head, which offered a level of support that the rest of the squalid room did not; she felt increasingly gloomy in that confined space, even more so since she was limited in her capacity for movement. All in all, Haruno Sakura was incredibly unsettled, and that fickle disposition was evident in every slouching muscle in her broken body. Sighing―and hissing when a sharp, unrelenting pain shot down the length of her trembling figure at the mundane habit―was really the only way to exhale the mounting sense of shame that was quickly filling her after her more than embarrassing encounter with the enemy.

She had fallen into the habitual weakness that had made her so useless on the battlefield in the days of her youth, when she had promised herself that she would not. She had been adamant about standing on equal grounds with her beloved teammates, about having them watch her back for a change, and here she was, one big bruised container of self-assurance and tattered ego.

It wasn't as if the situation could have been remedied in her state. But therein lay the problem; she was a medic nin, the one who had to endure through the battle when her comrades had long since fallen underfoot, the one who had to put them back together again in their time of need, and the disparate sense of unmitigated failure filled her to the brim with contempt and despair.

She had not only been unable to fend off her pursuers, but she had also allowed herself to be lured into a false sense of security and had paid the price for it dearly. A jolt ran through her then.

_Naruto! Sai! Yamato-taichou!_

Were they alright? Had they escaped from harm's way? Amidst total exhaustion, Sakura's frantic thoughts travelled out to the three irreplaceable members of Team Kakashi, her worry nearly tangible as she struggled to raise herself onto her elbows. The rattling of a shaky doorknob had her recoiling in pensive agitation, her hand fumbling for her kunai holster when the door opened with a resonant groaning; a familiar bundle of blonde peering in through the crack of the doorway.

Dull blue eyes brightened instantaneously when they met with misty green irises, a jubilant grin breaking over the roguishly handsome face of Uzumaki Naruto as he nearly threw the door off of its hinges with the force of his casual dismissal of it.

"SAKURA-CHAN, YOU'RE AWAKE!" He all but screeched at the top of his lungs, tears pooling in his eyes as he bounded over to her bedridden form with all the grace of a drunk puppy. Sakura coughed when she tried to stifle her laughter, her mood rising pleasantly at the entrance of the happiest person she had ever had the privilege of knowing. His presence was just what she needed in order to stave off her growing depression.

Naruto's arms were spread out wide, as if he were about to tackle her; at the last moment he pulled himself to a halt, remembering with a sharp flinch the condition that her body was currently in, and so he treated her fragile frame with the delicacy of fine china as he wrapped his arms loosely around her shoulders, pressing a gentle kiss to the dark diamond upon her forehead.

"I'm so glad you're conscious, Sakura-chan. Teme and I were going _crazy_ with worry. I know taichou and Sai were anxious too, but I guess all that specialist training helps them to cover that up―"

"Sasuke-kun is here?" Sakura interrupted his tirade with a stunned look impressing itself upon her face. Naruto paused, pulling back to look at her in the eye.

"Ne... Sakura-chan... you don't remember?"

"Should I...?" Sakura furrowed her brow in thought, wincing when a sharp stabbing pain flickered behind her eyes. Not a good idea right now.

The blonde looked mildly concerned as he ran placating hands through her pink tresses, blue eyes large and expressive as he processed her confusion.

"Uh, yeah? I mean, he did kinda save you and shit. Remember? You were ambushed by the nukenin we were sent out to eliminate in the outskirts of Ame Forest. They were the ones who," Naruto stepped back, appraising her with a scowl that raised the hairs on the back of her neck unpleasantly. "Put you into a coma for four days. Teme was on his way back from Kumogakure to intercept the rogues before they hit the coast and caused more chaos."

He focused on her face, carefully gauging her reaction as he filled in the blanks of her last battle before, well, this happened.

"Sasuke said that when he stumbled into that field, having tracked your chakra signal down, they had already begun killing you." He flinched violently, as if jolted with electricity, and Sakura felt her heart drop into her gut as little flashes of memory danced behind her vision.

_Pain_. Lots of pain. Smirking faces, gaunt and pulled back tautly against jagged bone. Bloodthirsty eyes. Metal sinking indulgently into flesh―_her_ flesh.

And then... a stifling darkness that would not lift, like a veil that had been stitched over her retinas and had grown roots into her mind like parasitic weeds.

"And you know Sasuke. He kind of lost it, when he saw you being tortured like that. Out of the twelve missing nin, none survived his temper tantrum, and quite frankly I'm glad for it. 'Cause if he hadn't finished the fuckers off, I most definitely _would have_." Naruto spat venomously, eyes narrowed into deadly slits as he reminisced on the feeling of her limp, bitingly cold hand in his own as he interlaced their fingers together, feeding her his chakra as if his life depended on it.

Kurama had been more than happy to oblige him, having grown fond the pinkette himself.

"Sasuke did a lot of the leg work before Team Kakashi and I made it to your side. He was pumping his chakra into you like his life depended on it, trying desperately to stop the bleeding and keep you alert so that you wouldn't get hypothermia from all the rain that had sunken into your system before his Susano'o could stave it off." Naruto continued admirably, face admiring in its thoughtfulness as he was reminded of just how caring Sasuke actually was in the face of the woman he loved so profusely.

"Even when Sai, Yamato-taichou and I had poured everything into saving you as well, Sasuke still bore the brunt of it all, making sure to revive you enough for you to heal all of the critical damage. From there, he carried you for four hours before we finally stumbled upon this place. And here we have been ever since, waiting for you to wake up." Naruto finished, eyes searching Sakura's face for any sign of recognition.

The pinkette frowned, digesting his words as electric blue spectres flickered through her mind's eye, the chirping of thousands of birds the reminder that she had needed to jostle her sleeping memory. Black flames engulfing the earth. The vibrant purple hue of Sasuke's doujutsu settling protectively over her stilled frame.

Burning red eyes, filled with the promise of pain and destruction of the worst kind. And then warmth. Sweet nothings, whispered frantically into the shell of her fuzzy eardrums, that even now she could not recall for the life of her. A tender kiss to her throbbing forehead. A hand clasping her own in utter desperation.

_Sasuke-kun_.

Sakura gasped, short of breath as she called out for her renegade lover, who was nowhere in her sights and thus causing her a great deal of distress. Naruto, perceptive enough to read the need in her voice, slipped stealthily out of the bedroom, door closing quietly behind him as his harsh footfalls sounded through the thin barricade.

She moaned in pain when she shifted a little too quickly to one side, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed, only to shudder at the ghastly sight that greeted her tired eye.

Legs blackened with terrible bruising, deep slashes and welts raising the once silken skin in vulgar plumes of scar tissue that unsettled even her specially trained stomach, Sakura knew then that the beating that she had taken had truly been traumatic. And if her body had shut down for four days because of the extent of her injuries, then perhaps she was far worse off than she had first anticipated.

Thankfully she didn't have to ponder for long, for her door was opened with a total disregard for its degradation, the tall profile of her handsome lover filling the narrow entryway with casual ease as his dark eyes―expressing cloying relief―met with her own. Butterflies settled in Sakura's tummy as his intense gaze pinned her where she half sat, half sprawled, at the edge of the small bed she had been occupying for some days now.

When his eyes narrowed imperceptibly, the pinkette knew that he was not happy with her movements, for the displeasure curled upon his lips before even he himself was aware of its presence upon his handsome face.

"S-Sasuke-kun..." Sakura began with a start, her stutter the cause of pain more so than jittery nerves of anticipation coursing through her as the raven haired Uchiha all but strode across the enclosed space, expression neutral as he stopped alongside her shaking form.

Huffing quietly, Sasuke reached out to her, hands absently brushing over her broken cheekbone before both of his hands came to rest upon her shoulders. Without any hesitation, he helped her climb back into the sinking mattress, his expression just short of irritated as he settled carefully alongside her. Her heart thumped painfully behind her bruised chest, and for the first time she cursed his damned thrall over her every molecule to hell and back; for the discomfort it was causing her did not seem worth the effort.

"What the fuck were you _thinking_, Sakura?" Sasuke muttered tersely, tone severe as he locked furious eyes with her. She shrunk back a little from his sudden wrath, the mattress both aiding and hindering her in that respect―she could sink into its depths, but she could not escape his lingering death stare.

Her apple green eyes were wide with panic as he closed the small gap between them once more, his fingertips coming to tilt her chin back gingerly until she was looking into his face without an escape route in sight.

"Running off _on your own_, _knowing_ that they were well-informed _murderers_, and backing yourself into a corner because you didn't _think it through first_ is the single most _foolish_ stunt you've ever pulled, and you should be fucking grateful that I made it to you in time. Otherwise your head would have been pawned off to the highest bidder right about now." Sasuke hissed with an angry sneer in her direction, eyes cold and unrelenting as he released his frustrations on her baleful form.

"You never _think_, just _do_, and fucking dammit it all to _hell_! If you think I'll merely stand by and watch the one I love get herself fucking _killed_ because of her _thoughtlessness_, you are sorely misin-fucking-formed, Sakura." He trailed off, anger dissipating with his shuttered exhalation, tears falling relentlessly from Sakura's aching eyes as she saw the reflection of despair in Sasuke's icy orbs.

He had been scared, frightened to the point beyond reasoning at the thought of losing her, like he had lost his beloved family members years beforehand, and the pinkette's heart clenched tautly in her chest, burning in the flames of potent regret. She had caused this wonderful, gorgeous, precious man such heartache that it weighed his words down with venomous grief, and she knew then that he was not angry at her, but at himself for allowing it to have gotten so far out of hand in the first place.

Sakura reached out a tentative hand, faltering when he stiffened at her movement.

When his sole hand wrapped around her thin fingers, riddled with cuts and fading blemishes, she smiled softly up at him, his left hand coming to wipe away her tears; a little clumsily, considering his consideration of her pain.

"I can't lose you, Sakura. Never you." Sasuke murmured hotly, voice thick with emotion as his expression twisted with overwhelming sadness. He pressed his lips to her forehead, cupping her face timidly, mindful of her botched appearance as he gripped her hand with a strength that left her breathless.

Sakura felt her throat constrict with an influx of raw emotion, and she leaned into his careful caresses, surrendering her battered body to his affectionate ministrations with a watery smile tugging futilely at her heavily bruised jaw. At least she had had the foresight to heal that dislocation before she had passed out, else she'd be in a world of agony far more intense than what she was already immersed in.

"It's... alright... now... Sasuke...-kun." She raised her remaining hand, a sharp flare of pain reminding her of how sensate her body currently was as she ghosted her calloused fingertips over Sasuke's left cheek. Dark, indelible smudges peppered the hollows beneath Sasuke's eyes. He looked positively drained, as if he hadn't slept in weeks. And perhaps he had not, least of all while she was in need of his constant caring. Sakura's heart brimmed with a hot spark of emotion when she considered this. He really did love her.

"I'm... fine now. You're... here with... me."

Sasuke's dark eyes bore into hers, the tortured soul of his youth returning full force as he looked into her one good eye, a pang of horror encumbering his usual judgement, as he pulled her into a tender embrace―face buried in the depths of her shoulder as she felt the first wet spatters of tears sinking indulgently into her sore skin.

"I can't live without you." Sasuke intoned quietly with convinction, arms tightening their grip on the trembling kunoichi as he voiced his inner turmoil with her for the first, and only, time.

"Don't _ever_ leave me. _Please_. Don't _ever_ let go of me."

"_Never_." Was all Sakura had the strength to summon in the form of words spoken; her eyes closing in an attempt to fend off her rising hicups and tears. She clung onto him, ignoring the biting protest of her aching body as she succumbed to the decadence of his unbridled warmth.

Vulnerability was not one of Sasuke's strong suits, but in that moment, Sakura firmly believed that it was his most powerful attribute. And as he held her even closer still to his imperceptibly trembling frame, she knew then that nothing in this world or the next could ever begin to dissuade her of her love for him.

_My love for you runs into forever, Sasuke-kun. Don't ever forget that._

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***.*.*.*.*.TBC.*.*.*.*.***

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**Ending Remarks:** _OKAY, SO I AM LAZY ON THE SMUT, BUT SERIOUSLY GUYS, I NEEDED THE FLUFF AFTER THE WONDERFUL DAY I'VE HAD. LEMONS ARE TOO SERIOUS FOR THE FESTIVE CHEER OF CHRISTMAS, AFTER ALL―_

_All just an excuse to delay the inevitable. But don't worry, because there is a third part to this little trilogy of chapters. So I guess if you want me to work my citric magic, then you shall have to leave me a review! C;_

_Now that I have established the tone for these drabbles, I feel more comfortable tackling_** The First Time**_. /insert melodramatic DUNDUNDUNNN here/ -le shocked gasp-_

_Look forward to it guys. Imma need all the liquid courage in the world to get this one right jesus― D:_

_Until tomorrow!_

-x-**R**_ i_ n-x-


	15. Mission (Part III)

**Author's Note:** _Happy New Year, guys! Apologies for the lateness of this one. I kind of got stuck and then it got really long and fuck―_

_So long, in fact, that I have decided to split this one into two chapters. It was over 20,000 words, UNFINISHED, LOL._

_Thank you so much for leaving a review, guys. To those who have only recently started on their journey with this story; hello and thank you for your time! To those of you who have been with me since the beginning (even more so to those of you whom have supported me since I debuted here lol); all my love and deepest gratitude for your patience!_

**Playlist: "**Call Your Name**" by **_Sawano Hiroyuki_**, "**CODA**" by _the GazettE_ (precious babs), "**Breathe**" &amp; "**Clairvoyant**" by **_Two Steps from Hell_**, "**Sexual Affection**" by _Sadie_, "**Closer to Ideal**" by _D'espairsRay_ (I definitely recommend listening to this one at the fight scenes), "**手嶌葵 ~ 時の歌**" (**_Toki no Uta_**) by **_Teshima Aoi_**.**

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_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

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**Fifteen:** Mission (Part III)

**_._**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Team Kakashi_**

**_Categories: Action, Friendship, Romance_**

**_Rating: M_**

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"Sakura, you have to bathe eventually, and you know better than anyone that right now, you aren't capable of doing so alone." Sasuke's blunt monotone carried emphatically in the quietude of the tiny vestibule that said pinkette had been living in for over two weeks now, a trace of hidden amusement tickling his tenor as he turned his dark eyes upon her. There was a quality to his expression that Sakura couldn't quite put her finger on, but if she knew him as well as she thought she did, then it was most likely hesitance.

Her cheeks heated up, a natural response to his very presence, yes, but also due to the implications of his last statement. The logical part of her brain understood the insinuations were based solely around her need to clean her wounds and heal them a little closer to full restoration; after all, she had expended almost all of the seemingly endless chakra reserves that she had had stored away in the near-death debacle half a month prior trying to mend her fractured body. It would invariably take some time to recover her full strength, so in the meantime her teammates had made it a pushy point to baby her back to health one infuriatingly small step at a time.

This was just another one of those over-considerate notions made in the heat of the moment. Only problem was, it involved her getting naked―with Sasuke's help, of course, since she could move minimally at best unaided―in front of her lover. Under any kind of circumstance, Sakura would have been mortified at the concept; she could go her whole life without him ever having to see the unrefined stretches of skin underneath her clothing and not bat an eyelash. So to have the prospect of impending nudity, with her body badly bruised and broken, was a big no-no in her books. There wasn't a force in this world strong enough to persuade her otherwise.

"No way in hell, Sasuke-kun." Sakura stated bluntly, head averted from his line of vision so that she was staring pointedly out of her room's grimy window.

The glass had a long crack splitting through the centre of the once transparent, now grubby, perspex; fracturing out in billowing branches that extended their reaches to the windowpane itself. A thick layer of moldy dust had crusted over its surface, the result of too much exposure to moisture and the elements (rain being the main cause of its appalling condition), and Sakura's stomach had turned when she had tried―and failed spectacularly―to scrub the festering dirt from its surface.

What a sight she must have made for Naruto, who had bounded into her room at her pained shriek, only to find her sprawled on the floor, gasping for air as oxygen evaded her burning lungs whilst clasping her wounded side gingerly with her healed hand. He had hefted her up in his broad arms, a look of panic on his face at the thought of her warding off some washed up closet pervert while his back had been turned, only to end up laughing boisterously at her expense when she had told him, with no short supply of blood in her flaming cheeks, that she had only been trying to clean her window.

"It's not like there's anything worth seeing out there anyways, Sakura-chan!" Naruto had exclaimed between snorts, her petulant pout watering down his amusement if only a little.

"You aren't cooped up twenty-four seven, Naruto. Even dead grass is better than this sad excuse of a room." Sakura quipped morosely, hand gesticulating vaguely at the squalid vestibule with a withering sense of embitterment filling her gut. She was sick of being inside, lying in that pathetic little bed in that hideous little rut that had become her bedroom. The pinkette wanted to be healthy again, ready and rearing for action as the sun shone down on her face. She wanted to feel like she wasn't a burden anymore.

And this evidently showed on her sombre face, for Naruto's expression softened into something resembling sympathy as he wound a comforting arm around her slumped shoulders.

"Ne, Sakura-chan. Don't worry, okay? You're already on the mend, and it'll only be a few days until you have enough chakra to fix yourself up again. So please, cheer up and give me a smile, alright? I need your beauty to wash away the din of apathy that I share and have to live with the rest of our little troupe of idiots." He murmured empathetically, nothing short of a pillar of absolute strength as he squeezed her thin shoulder affectionately between his right palm. His blue eyes were alight with gentle reassurance, and for the first time in days, Sakura felt as if she finally had something positive to believe in. It never ceased to amaze her just how incredible Naruto was.

To have lifted her spirits with only a few meaningful words was wholeheartedly appreciated, and as he removed himself from her side, rolling up his blazing orange sleeves to his elbows with his trademark foolhardy grin splitting his lips wide open, intent on scrubbing her window within an inch of its life in her place, Sakura knew that she was fortunate to have made such a niche for herself in his big, kind heart. As he had an inexplicable place deep within hers as well.

"You'll never recover at this rate, Sakura, and you know it. You need to sterilise your wounds so that they don't fester and become infected. That's basic medical know-how." Sasuke stated bluntly, mild concern lacing his voice as he made his way over to her bedside, his weight sinking indulgently into the mattress as he shifted into her line of sight once more.

Listening to Sasuke telling her to get naked and let him wash her was one thing in and of itself; having to actually face the prospect was on another Richter scale, and as Sakura's heart jump-started into a panicked frenzy at the sight of his neutral expression, she swore to god that this was never happening. Not in this life time or the subsequent ones after this one had past.

"Don't talk shop with the resident medical expert, Sasuke-kun. She isn't in the mood for logic right now." Sakura huffed vehemently, blush brightening the pallid hue of her cheeks (with the exception of her bruising, which had dulled from gruesome to just frightening over the course of the last week) as she scowled prettily at his entertained expression. Sasuke smiled at her, a chuckle slipping through his lips as she shook his head in disbelief; just how stubborn could this woman be?

Leaning back on his palms, Sasuke looked up at the dillapidated roof with humour lining the expressive contours of his face, his breathing deep and even as he crossed his left leg across the mattress.

"Well someone has to act on behalf of your ill-departed conscience, and I figured it was better if it was me than, say, Naruto or Sai?" Sasuke mused with a smirk of triumph in her direction; his victory was assured now. Sakura paled considerably at the thought of bathing in the presence of her bumbling friends.

Naruto had the emotional maturity of a three year old, and was as perverted as any man came, so him seeing her naked was an indefinite _fuck no_. As for Sai? Well, aside from his less than complimentary nature when it came to her appearance on a general basis, and his tendency towards the politically incorrect, he was just a step short of being completely incompetent. So he was a no-go either. That left either Sasuke or Yamato-taichou, and Sakura knew that she never wanted her captain to see her so vulnerable. She would never live it down.

Naturally, there really was only one plausible solution to her impending predicament, and it came in the form of her irresistably persuasive boyfriend Uchiha Sasuke. And even though her head accepted to logicality of his claims, her heart was not in the least bit prepared to bare it all for him; though the intentions were, as stated previously, completely pure.

"I just can't, okay? Please don't push the issue any further, Sasuke-kun! I..." Sakura trailed off feebly, her green eyes tracing the fractured lines of cracked glass fixedly as she hunched in on herself, visibly cowed at Sasuke's persistent goading.

"You what, Sakura?" Sasuke continued, dark eyes returning from their perusal of her room's waterlogged ceiling to settle on her pretty face. Even amidst the blotchy, mottled stains of blood vessels ruptured upon her visage, she was still unbearably beautiful to him, and as he slipped into a comfortable stare-off with the flustered pinkette, he could not have believed it more fervently.

"I... It's... Just no! Ugh!" Sakura hissed, cheeks deepening in colouration as she returned his gaze meekly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow when she wrapped her arms tautly around her bust, tugging on her bed clothes for extra emphasis, realisation dawning on his face as he sat there, stunned into silence.

So _that_ was what she was so worried about? He couldn't have withheld his smirk even if he had tried to. Sakura didn't like the look of _knowing_ in Sasuke's sooty eyes, and as she shifted a little further into her fluffy pillow, he made it clear as day that he understood her unrelenting stubbornness.

"Ah, so _that's_ what has you so highstrung? Being naked in front of me?" Sakura flinched at the tactile bluntness of his statement, her mouth falling open in shock as he laughed at her flabbergasted countenance.

"Your body language is deceptively simple to read, Sakura. And for the record," Sasuke paused, reaching forward to tickle his fingers against the exposed side of her neck, "There isn't anything for you to be concerned about. This is purely business. I don't have any plans of seducing you in the state you're currently in right now." Her lip trembled at the indecent yet subtle leer he sent in her direction as he said that, but she felt her heart jump when seriousness settled in place of the playfulness.

"Make no mistake, Sakura. I _do_ want you, one day. But for now, I just want you to recover, more than anything in this world. I hate seeing you so fragile." It was an incredibly sweet thing to say, and the implications of his words were not lost on her. So he _did_ want her. That assurance alone, coupled with the sincere inflection reflected in his handsome face, was enough for Sakura's defences to crumble just a little.

She was still reluctant to expose herself to him in such an intimate way, especially if her current condition put him off of ever looking at her nude again, but just this once, she wanted to trust in him completely. Biting her lip, clearly hesitant, Sakura raised her intent gaze to his own once more, mutely nodding in his direction; stunning him into further silence.

He had been trying to coax her into the bath for just short of a week, and not once in that time had she conceded to his coercion. The fact that now of all times she had agreed left him a little tongue-tied; perhaps all she had really needed was a frank talking-to, one that was honest and reassuring. Sasuke sighed softly, relief filling his features as he leaned forward, resting his forehead against her own.

"Finally, some sense has been ascertained." He murmured gently, eyes closed as he allowed his warmth to sink into her indulgently for a moment. Sakura huffed, affronted by his claim. And after he had made the effort to comfort her through clarification!

"I'll go run the water." Sasuke continued with a small smile on his lips, lips that swept across her own fleetingly before he stood from his seated position alongside her, his long legs carrying him elegantly and quickly, driven by purpose, to her room's door, the barricade closing quietly behind him as he strode down the hallway to the private bathroom on their floor. There weren't many rooms or customers at this "inn" of sorts, and thus those who did have the great misfortune of staying there whilst in search of rest had the distinct displeasure of sharing a communal bathroom. Never the less, there was a lock on the door for comfort's sake, and Sasuke exhaled his pent up frustration with their homestead.

Had he not been completely depleted of all energy reserves, he would have carried her to somewhere where she could have received the medical attention that she required, but since that had not been the case, he had to make do with the first thing that he could find. Oh yes, it was a hovel, but it had kept her alive so far. And for that, he was eternally grateful.

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Sakura's nerves were highly agitated as she waited with bated breath for the moment that Sasuke returned to her. She had tried her best to stave off her anxiety by gathering herself a change of clothes from her wilting pack left within arm's reach on her room's dresser; but when her fingers curled around a pair of lacy undergarments, her panic attack returned full force―her face a blazing mess of vibrant bruises warmed by a heated blush. Not only was he going to strip her bare and wash her, but then she had the distinctly mortifying epiphany that he was going to have to dress her as well, panties and all.

_Oh god―_

The rattling of the doorknob snapped her alert gaze upwards, a painful sense of awareness filling her with fear as Sasuke opened the door, face carefully stoic as he made his way over to her stilled form once more.

"Do you have everything you need?" He questioned curtly, head motioning towards the bundle of clothes clasped to her chest. When she hummed in affirmation to his enquiry, he nodded in apparent satisfaction, kneeling down onto the sagging mattress with the intention of lifting her into his arms. Helping her to wind her arms around his shoulders, Sasuke slipped one arm beneath her legs, being especially careful of her shattered right leg (which was healing much slower than the rest of her injuries) as he braced her back against his remaining limb.

Shifting her cautiously in his embrace in order to reaffirm his grip on her petite frame, Sasuke stood erect once more, dark eyes searching her face for any signs of discomfort or pain. When only a twitch flickered precariously against the taut pull of Sakura's unscathed cheek, Sasuke continued onward, satisfaction settling in his stomach as he carried her out of her room with as much care as he could muster. It might be construed as pathetic on Sakura's part, but she could not suppress the bubbling excitement of having finally left her quarters for the first time in two weeks, and it showed clearly on her face and in her posture―both of which had eased into a transient lull.

It felt as if she was floating on air, the way Sasuke strode through the atmosphere like gravity did not exist, like he was the only one capable enough to defy its pull. Wordlessly, Sasuke toed open the half closed door to the bathroom, stepping into the poorly lit vestibule without a glance at the eerily quiet pinkette in his capable grasp. Instead, he made short work of lowering her onto the toilet; using it as a makeshift stool as he made sure to bolt the door firmly shut behind them.

Sakura took the time to absorb her surroundings. Whitewashed walls, surprisingly clean in comparison to the atrocious pit of filth that her room seemed to adopt so casually; tiled neatly with bleached grout filling the cracks between each polished square.

A black basin, large enough to house someone of Sakura's stature with room to wiggle their toes, molded into the adjoining wall. An intricate, colourful mosaic emblazoned the inside of the clean tub until it bore semblance to an abstract painting of a multi-coloured rose, the textured glass sealed beneath a layer of clear resin. Water filled the bath about half way up, steam rising from the heated surface and putting a fresh flush on the pinkette's rosy cheeks. She noted absently that there was a portable showerhead strung up precariously at the end of sturdy steel piping, should patrons feel the inclination to bathe with haste (in all honesty, the bath was too small for most of the customers to fully utilise comfortably.)

To her utter dismay, there was no shower curtain to shield her from prying eyes―specifically Sasuke's intimidating gaze. Instead, it seemed that the shower had been designed to run off into a drainage rut in the centre of the cold tiled flooring, meaning that a curtain would be obsolete and merely a creature comfort for those uncomfortable with the sight of their own body in the mirror directly across from the elected bathing space. Sakura felt herself struggling to swallow, her mouth gaspingly dry as she returned her attentions to the raven haired man standing not a foot away from her.

For the sake of her insecurity, Sasuke had remained blessedly aloof to her discomfort, not a shred of amusement on his stern face as he reached out to tilt her chin up to face him fully.

"How can I help you, Sakura?" Sasuke intoned softly, his voice lacking its usual bite as he locked fervent eyes with her own. He wanted to aid her however he could, so as to lessen her pain and make her life just a little easier to cope with. Her heart thumped frantically behind her breast as she caught the trace of concern in his dark eyes. A mixture of terror and anticipation seized her as she parted her lips to speak, voice wavering under the stutter of her nerves making their grand reappearance into her system.

"C-Clothes... I-I can't..." She quailed, unable to coherently form a suitable response to his question, but Sasuke understood better than anyone what it was that she was trying to communicate to him.

"I can do that." He murmured carefully, his eyes drawn to the thin material of her baggy white t-shirt. This would certainly prove to be difficult to manouevre her out of without hurting her in the process. Brow furrowing in consternation, Sasuke raised his hands to the hemline of the crumpled bed-shirt, expression schooled into neutrality as he peeled it slowly up from her hips, making a point of avoiding brushing his appendages up against her sore sides in the process.

Once the flimsy material was bunched up beneath her armpits, Sasuke gently tilted her weight towards him, the pinkette's hands naturally coming to rest upon the broad set of his shoulders so as to anchor her into equilibrium. Sakura flinched a little when he slipped the cotton against her raw hide, biting her lip to stifle her hiss of pain as he whipped it down her bare arms and threw it onto the ground beneath their feet. So far it wasn't as uncomfortable as she thought it was going to be, what with the methodical way in which Sasuke was approaching this task, and Sakura tried envisioning removing her own clothing with her torn scapula.

She shuddered. Definitely not a pain she ever wished to experience firsthand.

Naturally she was unable to wear a bra in her current condition, which left her a fumbling mess of scarlet as she watched Sasuke's concentration slip for the briefest of moments as he took in the hefty camber of her bare breasts exposed for his viewing pleasure. Unwittingly, her peachy nipples hardened in response to his intent staring. But that moment was fleeting at best, as he readjusted his focus to the curved arcs that were her hips, his hands helping her to stand before he bent over and pulled both her cotton shorts and panties down her deceptively long legs with a quick flourish of his wrists.

Sakura tried to squeeze her thighs together to cover the thatch of pink curls that sat abashedly upon her pubis, her green eyes glittering despairingly amidst her embarrassment as she stood there, completely naked and completely vulnerable to him―but the sharp burning in her right leg cancelled out all previous bashfulness as she nearly sobbed from the pain. Sasuke took her into his arms, supporting her full weight alongside his own as he led her over to the steaming basin with worry etched into the lines of his gorgeous face.

Without preempt, Sasuke scooped her up into his embrace, legs dangling over his left arm as he lowered her quivering form into the warm water.

At first it seemed unbearably hot, searing against the ghastly wounds on her body like corrosive acid, but after sinking into it fully, the pain ebbed away in favour of a prickly tingle that warmed her to her toes. She relaxed into it, for a single, blissful moment forgetting about Sasuke's presence in the room as she closed her eyes and sighed quietly into the resonant bathroom; the dripping of water from the faucet echoing loudly in the din.

Sakura was reminded of the Uchiha's presence when he ran a tender hand through her rosette tresses, eyes deeply affectionate as he traced his right thumb over her puffy lips without preamble. To his absolute credit, not once did his eyes stray from her own, in a show of respect so deep for her body that she felt butterflies erupt dangerously low in her abdomen. He truly was the definition of a gentleman, and as he stood from his perch on the sill of the bath alongside her to collect the fresh wash cloth and conditioners from the shelf upon the bath's alcove, Sakura was reminded of just how much his courteousness had been ingrained into him as a child.

Even when they had been assigned to Team Kakashi, Sasuke had always upheld himself to the standards of his clan, remembering his manners when they were called for effortlessly and without hesitance. This was certainly no different, as not once had he gawked at her openly; inconspicuously, perhaps, but what she didn't know wouldn't necessarily kill her.

Sasuke returned to her side with haste, lowering himself onto the ledge once more with an eloquence that very few, much less men, could ever hope to muster in their gait, his prosthetic hand dipping the washer into the lukewarm water before he raised it once more, squeezing out the water over the bared skin that had not been touched by it already. Sakura moaned softly, the feeling of fresh, clean water rolling languorously over the planes of her body a welcome change of pace.

Sasuke brushed the cloth against her raw skin cautiously, peeling away the grime of old scabs scarring over the open sores with a gentleness that surprised her, his hand dipping back and forth into the shallow depths just short of her exposed breasts. The heat of his remaining palm was dulled by the application of a cold, gelatinous substance that she soon recognised was body wash, scented softly after honeycomb and green tea as he rubbed soothing circles against her bare back, fingers ghosting seductively over her spine in the process.

It all felt quite wonderful, if she were to be blatantly honest with herself, as she peeked up at him through long eyelashes. His face was pensive, lost in thought as he soothed her aching wounds with tender caresses that raised the hairs on her arms and neck without a qualm to prevent it from happening. The once clean water darkened with an amalgamation of grime. It was true that she had opted to sponge herself off in the easiest places to reach with the help of her nagging, overbearing teammates, but for the most part she had been too weak to manage a bath unattended, let alone at all.

So even if she was currently naked in front of the man she loved more than anything else in the world, where unending embarrassment was her closest companion, the burden of not having bathed for such an extended duration had left her without a word of protest. If this was a means to an end, then she would take it―even though she was too embarrassed to admit that Uchiha Sasuke washing her all over was one of her deepest, darkest fantasies, a secret that she would keep locked away in Pandora's Box forever, if need be.

Sasuke tilted her head back via her chin, and Sakura acquisced withought complaint, eyes falling to an unburdened close as he ran the warm water down her throat. His dark orbs followed the impermanent substance down the arch of her slim neck, observing with an almost painful eye for detail as the clear liquid trickled down between the valley of her pert breasts, down her slim torso and back into the translucent membrane from which it had come from only moments beforehand. He swallowed inaudibly, fingers tracing the exposed groove of her shoulder as he dabbed at her throat with the sopping wet cloth; wishing fervently to replace it with his lips, but refraining from doing so with an internal scowl at his inner animal.

Funny how she was the only one that really, truly, brought it out of him.

Sakura's skin tingled with every brush of his hands against her, her mouth falling open in mute awe as he dragged the cloth over her breasts; nipples screaming in protest at the rough material scraping over them without a secondary tour back over them. Sasuke's thumb unintentionally applied additional stimulus to the oversensitive buds, and Sakura shuddered openly in response, his eyes widening in surprise at the strong display of arousal that he had elicited from her. He had not been expecting that.

"Sakura?" He called out her name softly, breaking the spell that had fogged over her rational mind in the wake of his ministrations, her green eyes flying open as mortification and shame coloured her face. Sasuke looked a little unsure of how to broach the sudden flair of tension that had settled between them, but he tentatively saw to her wounds, bathing them with a care that defied his fierce reputation as one of the strongest shinobi to have ever lived.

Sakura sucked in a harsh breath, not wrought of discomfiture or pain, but of stunned bemusement as she sat at attention for him; rigid and as still as a statue as he massaged the soapy suds of lathered cream into her pores with renewed focus.

Once Sasuke was sure that she was scrubbed clean at the top of her body, he slipped his hands into the water once more, a startled shriek leaving the pinkette's lips as he hefted her body up and onto his lap; the warm water weeping its way through the thin material of his black khakis as her firm bottom pressed appealingly against his crotch. He internalised the deep, animalistic throb bubbling its way into the pit of his stomach, arms winding firmly around her waist so as to lock her in place there.

Sasuke dipped the spongy cloth into the tub once more, drizzling a generous glob of body wash onto its surface before he gingerly peppered it down her right leg. Starting from her upper thigh, Sasuke twirled the cloth in lazy circles over the tender flesh, angling his wrist so that it could sink provocatively between her legs. Sakura's heart stopped beating for a moment in her mouth as his calloused fingers skimmed over the slippery, wet limb, brushing carefully over the welts that had blemished it so starkly as he made his descent further still, slipping under the curvature of her leg as he peeled away the layers of perspiration, mud and pus with deft swipes of his wrist.

He was all business, pausing for only brief moments to admire the feel of her beneath his fingertips. Oh how tempting it was to lay soft kisses over the exposed juncture of her neck, shoulder, spine, kneecap...

_Fuck..._ Sasuke bemoaned internally with a grimace, dark eyes burning with an intensity that had nothing to do with his desire to get her well again. No, it looked a lot more like him flattening her out over his splayed lap and slipping his hands over and within places completely inappropriate for one in such an alluring position and condition. He bit his lip, out of Sakura's line of sight, as he continued to soak her injured limbs with suddy water that ran off nearly black. She was absolutely filthy, by no fault of her own of course, and it made Sasuke's obsessive compulsive monster rear its ugly head in protest to her less that cleanly state.

Sakura watched as Sasuke manipulated her aching limbs for her, settling them ankle-deep in the dirty water as he swivelled her around on his lap until her left side was pressed deliciously against his stomach. She opted for keeping her mouth shut when he reached above him for the flexible showerhead just out of reach; his fingers grazed the bottom of it in futility for a few moments before he grunted in displeasure.

Luckily it was an inanimate object, that need not fear the wrath of the seething Uchiha heir, as he all but yanked it down with a little boost from his lengthy torso. Unfortunately for her (at least for her heart, anyway), this movement meant that she too would be pulled in closer to Sasuke's imposing frame. Sakura spread her palms out against his solid chest in a gesture of keeping the distance between their bodies mutually comfortable, face deepening in its rosy hue as the top of her head bumped against his turned chin.

"Tch!" He grunted at the unexpected impact, obsidian orbs trailing back to her fidgeting face, which was evading meeting with his own as she pushed a little harder against him in the hopes of gaining some much needed distance from his solid figure. His rugged appearance, lightly soaked with the impression of her body locked against his, was almost unbearable, and the smouldering look in his hooded eyes had her squeezing her thighs a little closer together than usual.

It was unfair how gorgeous this man was. Even bloody and nearly completely broken, Sasuke made for quite the sight.

"S-Sorry, Sasuke-kun. I-I didn't mean―It was―!"

Sasuke scoffed, nonplussed by the impact, his hands returning to their task of removing the thick layer of grime from her petite frame. He turned the faucet on, fingers dancing on the rim of the metal showerhead as he gauged the temperature, adjusting it simultaneously when he deemed it too hot for her blistering wounds.

Once he had settled on the perfect level of heat-to-cool, Sasuke shifted her weight upon him, wrapping one arm firmly around her naked waist as he used the remaining appendage to hold the spray over her legs, washing away the hefty burden that the cloying filth had left on her raw skin. Both parties were surprised to note that her legs, once removed of their heavy cloak of dirt, were not nearly as damaged as they had first appeared.

It seems that her gradual treatment of them had spurned on the natural regeneration process that was so inherent within her system that she had forgotten that it had even existed. She had become so accustomed to healing herself of her injuries that she had lost her affinity with the pre-instilled nature of healing in the neutral body. It was a pleasant surprise, even if her discomfort was still very real.

Sakura glanced up at Sasuke from her peripherals, biting back a sweet smile at the look of gratification that had made itself plainly evident of his devilishly handsome face. Exhaling in visible relief, Sasuke reached for the bottles of shampoo and conditioner, his right hand, which had been, up until that point, leaving a searing imprint against her flushed side, coming up to douse her hair in the thick gelatinous substance.

"Can you hold your weight for a minute, Sakura?" Sasuke asked with a look askance at her pretty face, eyes carefully respectful as he held her gaze with his own. The pinkette teetered only a little on his lap as he removed his supporting arms from her frame, and so he took that as his go-ahead; brushing her thick tresses up onto the top of her head, the raven haired Uchiha gently massaged the suds into her hair, making sure to do a thorough job of rubbing it into her scalp before he left it rest for a moment.

He took the opportunity to fill that time with washing off his hands, which returned to cup her waist moments later. Sasuke allowed her a moment of blissful contact, upon which he pulled her flush against his chest, her soapy temple brushing against his chin and leaving bubbles in her wake. Sakura tried, and failed, to suppress her girlish giggle at the sight, which only furthered his desire to tease her relentlessly.

His dark smirk wiped the smile from Sakura's face as he raised his hand into her hair, gathering a handful of the soapsuds before he smeared them without further adieu on her healed cheek, fingertips trailing over her parted lips as he countinued to spread it down the length of her neck. Being ticklish did not aid her in her quest for control, and she laughed outright when he flicked his suddy fingertips against her exposed cleavage with a wicked smile settled firmly on his amused visage.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun! Please stop! That tickles!" Sakura proclaimed loudly, squirming out of the reach of his fingers until she had nearly toppled off of his lap altogether; he caught her with the speed that only he had mastered over the years, hauling her into his protective embrace as she calmed the racing of her heart at her nearly potential slip.

"You alright?" His husky tenor trembled a little even in its vast sternness, and Sakura merely nodded in supplication. She was fine now. The tension was lost in Sasuke's frame as he lowered her once more into the now cold water, lips pulled into a taut line as he handled the showerhead once more with practiced precision. He washed the residue from her hair, running his sole hand through her hair as she bowed her head forward in an attempt to ease his efforts somewhat.

It only took a few minutes, and once he was done, Sasuke returned the extendable showerhead to its mantle overhead, switching off the water as he bent over her small frame, scooping her up without any qualms from either of them. He placed her shuddering form on the toilet seat once more, turning to retrieve the fluffy white towel (she distinctly recognised that it was his, and her stomach turned pleasantly at the generosity of her lover; he had never liked to share, after all) hanging on the doorknob. His strides were quick and effortless, and in mere seconds he was back at her side, attentive to her need for warmth as he draped the towel unceremoniously around her shoulders.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." Sakura affirmed graciously, pulling the warm cloth closer to her trembling figure as he ran comforting hands down her arms, trying to return some heat into her body. It mightn't be snowing in Amegakure, but it was still bitingly cold outside; so cold, in fact, that hail stones had begun to fall over the last few days as a reminder that it was still winter time.

The room was frigid, and thus the comforting warmth of her bath had been expunged with relative swiftness as it settled there for the night.

"We need to get you dried off and dressed quickly, Sakura. Can't have you freezing to death on me." Sasuke quipped mirthlessly, eyes displaying his complete awareness of that possibility becoming an actuality, and Sakura nodded in mute agreement.

Her embarrassment had quelled somewhat, but it returned to warm her bloodstream as he helped her to stand; using him as her buoyancy, Sakura leaned into his touch as he towelled her down. Her lip protuded stubbornly as a means of simmering down her rising mortification as Sasuke smoothed the material sinuously over her heavy breasts, the friction pebbling the pert nipples beneath unsuspecting fingertips until they thrummed with resounding pleasure.

Her breath hitched as he descended down her body, the towel bunched up between his palms as he rolled it over her hips and bottom, making a beeline for the crevice between her closed legs; his dark eyes remained indifferent to her postured rigidity, and without pause for thought, he dipped the coarse fabric between her thighs, parting them gingerly so as to prevent any pain from his rubdown. Sasuke was deft in pulsing the material against the thatch of hair between her legs, not lingering long enough for Sakura's internal meltdown to kick into overdrive as he whipped it down her legs and patted them gently dry.

Lifting her feet one at a time onto his propped up knee, Sasuke towelled them down until she was able to stand without the impending threat of a fall on the slippery tiles. Now significantly warmer―and it had nothing to do with no longer being sopping wet―Sakura stepped away from Sasuke's prone form, giving them both some much needed space as he looked up at her from beneath long, sooty eyelashes.

"Feeling better?"

"M-Mm." Sakura punctuated her positive response with a smile, nodding slightly as he stood to look down at her once more.

"Then let's get you dressed and ready for bed." Was all he said in response, reaching over to her pile of nealtly folded clothes sitting on the bathroom sink. Sakura stood erect and eerily still as he proffered her underwear without so much as a smirk on his face. He trailed his fingertips over the swell of her hips, down her outer thighs and between the dip behind her knees before he was prodding insistently at her ankles.

Pressing the flats of her palms against his shoulders once more, Sakura carefully lifted her right leg, stepping into the hole and helping Sasuke to lift it up and over the camber of her kneecap. Unfortunately, the process was not nearly so simple for her remaining leg, as she had to rest her full weight on the shattered limb. Her pained cry saw her stumbling off to her side, Sasuke sliding in place beneath her as he broke her fall with his own.

The first thing that Sakura registered was the warmth of his skin as it sunk into her own, and the feel of his muscles rippling beneath her splayed fingers and bare breasts. Her eyes widened significantly, her nerve endings all but frazzling out as she struggled to remove her weight from Sasuke's wincing form.

"Oh my god, Sasuke-kun! Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I lost my footing and―"

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine." Sasuke grunted perfunctly, pushing himself up onto his elbows as his tousled bangs fell into his eyes. His wet shirt clung to the taut musculature of his stomach, riding up his abdomen and exposing the deep lines jutting out from his pelvis; cutting down beneath the hem of his pants in delicious symmetry.

His expression was a mixture between pained and exasperated, but he made no further vocalisations resembling a complaint as he pulled her forward until she was straddling his hips. Without preamble, he reached for the hem of her panties, hanging loosely around her right ankle, tugging them up and over her knee, over her parted thighs until they finally fit snuggly around her vivacious hips.

Sasuke's fingers dug into her sides indulgently, her cheeks flushing a flattering shade of pink as he let them linger momentarily, before he retracted their hold on her and grabbed the loose night gown that had fallen with them. Now sitting, Sakura still firmly locked in place on his hips, Sasuke lifted her arms over her head, feeding her limbs through the corresponding holes before he yanked it down over her head; his hands cupping her bare breasts in a naughty tease that left her squealing in surprise.

"My payment for my services." He stated with a humoured smirk in her direction, before he tugged the nightie down over her lithe figure, obscuring her once more from his ravenous gaze.

"S-S-Sa―W-Wha―" Sakura babbled incoherently, her face the epitome of flabbergasted as she observed the smiling face of her lover with wide green eyes.

"Time for bed." Sasuke proclaimed emphatically, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose before he hefted her over his shoulder, pushing himself onto his feet before he swooped out of the quietude of the bathroom―Sakura in one arm, her ragged clothes under the other.

* * *

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* * *

Yamato paced the expanse of Sakura's small room, running over their plan of return to Konoha. It had been a week since the bath incident, and Sakura had since gathered enough chakra in her reserves to heal the remnants of her wounds; thankfully none had become septic over the course of her two weeks bedridden in this shabby inn in the middle of nowhere, making it a lot simpler to recover from her trauma.

As much as it begrudged her, the pinkette was grateful for Sasuke's pushy insistence to bathe her every day after the first time, because she had recovered her strength with due haste. And now here she was, fully clothed in her usual ninja attire and ready to move out with her teammates.

"Because of recent circumstances," Yamato sent her a pointed glance filled with concern, which made her smile broadly in response to his caring disposition. "We have fallen behind on our allotted schedule. Never the less, now that Sakura is well again," he trailed off meaningfully, directing his imperative onto the males of their squad with stern dark eyes. Naruto straightened stiffly, visibly disconcerted at the unpleasant glower in their Captain's eyes as he stared them down individually.

"We need to get back on track. Kakashi-sama has sent out a summons for our immediate return, so we shall head out at twilight and make our way back throughout the night. He specifically requested your presence, Sasuke-san, so you shall return to the village with us." Yamato continued with zest, his expression bland as he accepted Sasuke's curt nod with one of his own.

"I planned on going back anyway." Sakura's surprised glance in his direction summoned a soft smirk in response. "Can't let this one out of my sight."

Sakura huffed, affronted by his commentary, but he only shook his head from side to side, smiling imperceptibly as he returned his gaze to the others; they all looked amused by his remark, and when she sent a venomous glare their way, they swallowed their mirth in exchange for charades of blatant disinterest. Better.

"You have ten minutes to gather your belongings and meet me in the foyer downstairs. We head out then. Tardiness is no excuse. I will leave you behind if you loiter. Got it, _Naruto_?" Yamato addressed the startled blonde with a fixed glare, expression ominous as he bore holes into the side of his cowed head.

"I won't tolerate another one of your escapades, you hear me?"

"Oh come _on_, taichou! That happened _once_―" Naruto whined petulantly, arms gesticulating wildly about his lanky frame as he made his case. Yamato shot it down immediately with a retort of his own.

"No, it happened _seventeen_ times. Half of those consisting of attempts at peeking into the women's locker room after peak hour bath times; the rest being knocked out cold by Sakura for said shameful peeping." His blunt dismissal dripped with disapproval as he dared Naruto to challenge his authority. Mercifully, Naruto had the decency to look sheepish, his tanned cheeks flushed as he scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"Oh, yeah. Right. That. Got it, taichou. Won't happen again."

"That's good to hear, Naruto. Because you know what will happen if you don't obey my orders like a good little jinchuuriki?" Yamato quipped sagely, expression pleasant even when his next words were anything but.

"I'll sic Sakura on you so fast that your head will split open from the force of the internal haemorraging she unleashes upon your skull." He balked at that, paling considerably as his neck robotically clicked its way towards Sakura, who sat there with a sadistic smile on her pretty pink lips.

"Don't you know it, taichou." Was all she said, raising the hairs all over the blonde shinobi's body. Crap. She was on board with this perverse attempt at punishment, and it was more than enough to have his insides churning with impending dread. He always fucked up enough to be the cause of Sakura's dire wrath. He needed to be especially careful now, since it looked as if Sasuke and Sai were siding with her poisonously sweet disposition. Their thoroughly pleased expressions certainly didn't go amiss.

_So much for bros before hoes..._ _Not that Sakura-chan is one!_ Naruto amended quickly, shrinking a little further behind Sasuke's imposing stature as Sakura directed heated daggers his way―as if she had read his mind. The knowing scowl on her face pretty much attested to this.

"Now hop to it! The clock is ticking..." The brown haired ANBU operative threw back over his turned shoulder as he strode out of the pink haired kunoichi's room without another word, the door closing over as Sai stood and stretched from his spot at the end of Sakura's creaky bed.

"What say you, Dickless? Shall we go pack now, or do I get the pleasure of seeing a preemptive beatdown courtesy of Ugly?" Sai intoned pleasantly, smile placing itself easily on his lips in a genuine display of humour that had Sasuke coughing into his hand; obviously trying to disguise his chuckle of amusement at the inky haired artist's witty quip. Naruto openly glared at the elder male, eyes mirthless and clearly irritated as his mouth formed an angry curl bearing semblance to a grimace of pent up rage.

"Shut it, fuckface! Move your ass before I shove my foot up it so hard you'll shit blood for a week!"

"Ah, but you'd like that, wouldn't you Dickless?" Sai jeered with a faux sneer in his direction, openly entertained by Naruto's mounting anger as he baited him all the way to the door, the blonde stalking after the ex-ROOT member without a glance spared at the two remaining friends behind him. Their loud arguing could still be heard from down the opposing end of the hallway, and Sasuke's chuckles were met with outright laughter on Sakura's part.

"Idiots..." Sakura breathed out with a giggle, rolling her eyes as she heard the telltale signs of furniture being tossed about from the boys' shared room.

Sasuke openly cringed, face the picture of martyrdom as he straightened himself from his trademark slouch against the opposite wall; intent on preventing any major damages from occurring, lest they have to fork out the moolah to replace the broken goods. He cast Sakura a fleeting glance, hand coming up to finger the tips of her long tresses between thumb and forefinger, before he let his hand fall limp at his side, expression carefully schooled into neutrality as he excused himself from her presence.

"I'll see you downstairs." At her meek nod, Sasuke turned on his heel, a satisfied smile on his face as he slipped out of the narrow doorway and sidled down the hall after his moronic companions with an exasperated twitch shifting the skin around his left eye.

_And I call them my friends? Ridiculous. Ludicrous. Idiotic, like them. Tch._

Sakura watched him leave with a twist of delight curling in her tummy. He was coming home with them. With her. _For_ her.

The girlish smile that formed on her plush lips was incomparable as she set to work shoving her belongings into her wilting napsack strewn on the bed alongside her, painfully aware of their allotted time passing her by.

* * *

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* * *

Team Kakashi took to the treetops the minute they had all gathered at the assigned meeting place; paying the host for his troubles before they became one with the shadows of the inky black night, rain pouring in a relentless barrage against their exposed flesh and weighing down their heavy cloaks with the sheer force of its impact. Sakura shivered a little at the biting chill that had begun to take root in her bones, her teeth chattering softly as she propelled her weight rapidly through the thick foliage, intent on keeping pace with the restless shinobi accompanying her.

Sasuke matched her stride easily, remaining vigilent in his perusal of her recovered form whilst also surveying their surroundings for any impending threats. The sharingan in his right eye was blurred beyond distinction from the downpour, whilst his rinne-sharingan spun sluggishly in his remaining iris, searching for any unexpected flairs of hostile chakra in the area around them. So far, he had found none, and he was glad for it. Even though he knew Sakura could protect herself without any problems, he wanted to ensure her safety at any cost; she had nearly died in her last battle, and he would be damned if he ever let her fall into that death-trap again.

Naruto led their fast-paced tirade, throwing his full weight forward on all fours as he slipped into Sage mode; it was important to ensure that no one else he loved became the victim of unsuspecting violence, and as he barrelled through the trees with a renewed sense of purpose, he failed to note the airborne kunai cutting through the heavy rain until it had wedged itself in his bicep. He howled in pain, feet losing their grip on the branch he had landed on as he replayed an all to familiar scene that had deja vu reeling disconcertingly behind Sakura's green eyes.

Without really registering her movement, Sakura shot forward, sharpened senses seeking out the source of their confrontation as she unceremoniously wrapped her fingers tautly around Naruto's thick wrist―yanking him back up onto the wooden limb before he could truly feel the impact of his near-death plummet against his bones.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan." Naruto gasped frantically, his uninjured hand coming up to rip the offending throwing knife from his toned arm. Sakura pried the bloody weapon from his numb fingers, standing sharply as she spun on her heel and sent the blade careening through the trees. A second later and there was a loud grunt, followed by the clanging of metal repelling metal, and Sasuke's heightened awareness led him straight to the fumbling nukenin; he slipped out of existence as fast as he returned into it, a piercing shriek resounding emphatically in the stormy barrage as he wiped his kusanagi clean of the blood that stained it against the front of his waterlogged cloak.

His expression was a twist of distaste and unmitigated wrath, and he spring-boarded himself to the blonde's side without ceremony mere seconds later.

"You okay, dobe?" Sasuke questioned stonily, multi-coloured eyes scanning the blurry landscape sternly as he expressed his concern with mute displeasure tensing his large frame. Naruto grinned at the raven haired Uchiha's rare display of genuine concern, wincing a little as Sakura sealed the gushing wound with her medical chakra; the luminous green glow lighting up her severe expression as she mended the superficial tear with vigour.

"Yeah, never been better, teme. How about we kick some rogue ninja ass as revenge?" Naruto bolstered proudly, eyes alight with a blazing desire for vengeance as the reinforcements of Sakura's now dead tormentors made their presences known to them all.

There were a lot of them, for starters, the sheer numbers alone frightening. Were there really that many discontent shinobi in this newfound era of peace? Sakura gulped back her tremor of horror as she realised with profound, unsettling clarity that there would always be bloodthirsty rebels in their midst, no matter how hard they fought for pacification.

"That's the first reasonable thing you've said all day." Sasuke exclaimed with a sadistic smirk mirrored effortlessly by his best friend, and the two stood shoulder to shoulder, each sizing up their odds with a confidence that evaded Sakura.

Ever the realist, she calculated their odds of success. No doubt they were all strong. But to take on powerful opponents in their hundreds was not an ideal scenario.

They were but five, and they did not have the supplies to keep them soldiering on forever. Never the less, the odds did not faze the two heroes of the Ninja World, as they threw themselves into the thick of fighting with an excitement that worried Sakura momentarily, before she had a handful of nukenin to deal with herself.

Nearly hissing in contempt at their overbearing airs of pretentious victory, Sakura unloaded punch after chakra-fulled punch into their guts, not hesitating with her one hit KO's as she beat her way through the army of unified perfidy with a hateful glare burning into their retinas as they met their demises. She bounced off the surrounding tree trunks until she had settled on the ground, finding that fending off projectiles and well-timed offenses via the missing-nin was too perilous a task to uphold for long whilst in the air overhead.

She settled beneath the canopy of impossibly tall trees, sinking gracefully to the muddy earth as an unsteady roundhouse kick cut through the air above her bowed head.

Sakura flipped onto her heels once more, sliding beneath the startled ninja's parted legs as she sliced at his achilles tendons with her chakra scalpels, his anguished cry swallowed by mud as he fell face first into the gluggy mess of upheaved soil. Without pause, Sakura rolled to the side to avoid the onslaught of shuriken that embedded itself in the softened earth, jumping to her feet and throwing her full weight at the closest nukenin.

Unfortunately for the the unprepared rogue kunoichi, who was the target of Sakura's lethal Hundred Strengths justsu, she happened to be that chosen victim, and before she had the chance to draw a weapon to defend herself―or even summon a defensive jutsu in place of her shrinking form―Sakura's glowing fist connected with her gut; tearing straight through the sunken flesh of her lightweight frame and sending spatters of crimson blood flying through the air.

The sheer force of her fist colliding with her prone form shattered the earth beneath their feet, and as the life drained from the woman's pale eyes, she thought she saw red tinging the depths of Sakura's vengeful irises. Her limp body shuddered around the impact point of the pinkette's fist, sailing through the air at break-neck speed as it tore through thickened tree trunks for miles until it was lost amidst the shattered rubble of upturned soil and falling trees. The distant crashes were dulled by the heavy storm, and the sound of birds screeching enigmatically over the din of clashing metal and thunderclaps manipulated artfully by her poised lover.

Not a drop of blood on him. Good. Relieved, Sakura returned her attentions to her own fight, keeping tabs on Yamato and Sai, who were fighting not far from where she stood. So far, none were worse for wear, but the stream of nukenin seemed almost endless; Sakura downed one, only to be confronted with five more.

Exertion began to settle in her wearied limbs, but she fought on diligently, skilfully evading the enemies rapid assaults as she tended to her comrades wounds with an efficiency that would have made Tsunade smirk with pride. A resonant _'bang!'_ cut through the tense atmosphere, Sakura's green eyes snapping to attention as she searched for the source of the racket.

She soon found it. Sai was cornered by a large group, each skilled enough to match him blow for blow as he was backed into a corner; in his desperation, he had thrown several explosive tags attached firmly to his weaponry's hilts, creating a craterous void that he could escape into. Barely.

He would need some assistance with his ploy. Sakura formed rapidfire hand seals, dodging further attacks and returning them full force with her no-nonsense kicks, sending the bastards into oblivion as she summoned a well-timed doton-no-jutsu. The earth crumbled beneath the nukenins feet, opening into a cavernous pit that spewed out thick roots and vines that captured them firmly in their steely grasps. Without further ado, they were dragged screaming into the bowels of hell, before the sharpened limbs pierced into their flesh through their parted orifices, blood painting the bowels of the earth red.

Sai flashed her a grateful smile, before he returned his focus to the approaching reinforcements with a startling amount of exasperation lining his stern features. It was obvious that he was feeling the toil of this battle just as much as she was.

"Sai! It's too cramped to continue fighting here!" Sakura yelled over the pounding rainfall, her voice nearly hoarse from screaming in the heat of staving off their enemies bold offense.

"We need to lead them to an open area! That way they won't have the tactical advantage over us!" The tall ANBU artist turned his heated gaze on her, nodding adamantly in fervent agreement as he propelled himself through the air, skidding on the balls of his feet to avoid the gush of chakra-laden Mizu-no-jutsus that arced through the air towards him in the form of vicious serpentine dragons. They stood arm to arm, eyes rapidly surveying their surroundings with cool indifference as they waited for an opening; they found it behind a nukenin who had slipped on the muddy earth, and Sakura was quick to send him flying whilst Sai covered her with his unsheathed tantō.

Their team work was impeccable, and it showed when Sai, as if on cue, ducked over, allowing Sakura to propel herself off of his proffered back and straight onto the shoulders of a rogue ninja too large for Sai's short-sword to fatally wound. Sakura wrapped her legs tightly around the nukenin's thick neck, which strained in tenuous pulsations against her inner thighs in an attempt to break her stranglehold. Sakura charged her chakra through her legs, locking the nin in place before she twisted her hips, her whole upper body shifting with the force of her momentum as she snapped his neck with ease.

"Sakura!" Surprisingly, Sai had called her by name, his frantic gensticulation directed somewhere over her shoulder.

She heard the distinct _'thwip!'_ of multiple shuriken cutting through the frigid downpour towards her erect form, and without much thought, Sakura flipped backwards, using her chakra-enhanced leg strength to lift the hefty deadweight whose shoulders she currently occupied up into the air with her. Her unconventional handstand removed her from harm's way, as the sharpened weaponry sunk into the senseless flesh of her cadaver "escape jutsu", Sakura allowing equilibrium to take hold once more as the warm corpse slammed into the earth with a sickening lurch against the thick mud.

The pinkette returned to Sai's side vigilently, and the pair took off into the treetops, Sakura pausing briefly to glimpse the ensuing chaos behind them. Naruto and Sasuke had teamed up to great success, obliterating the ever-expanding masses with ease as Yamato offered them assistance through their blindspots. Had the situation not been nearly so dire, Sakura would have stopped to admire the unshakable strength of their collective might.

But unfortunately there was no time for such ponderings, and as Sakura returned her focus to barrelling through the trees with Sai in tow, a pack of bloodthirsty rogues on their tails, she hoped that there would never again be another chance for them to test out her musings.

* * *

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* * *

"Sasuke! Did you see where Sai and Sakura-chan went?" Naruto called over the roaring winds and the sharpened impact of blades sparking violently against one another, his amber eyes shifting over to his best friend's animated form. He was currently repelling a hoarde of nukenin with a devastating blow from his Kirin, the frenzied clap of thunder ripping through the atmosphere as if there were no other sound to hinder it.

His blazing red and violet eyes snapped over to the last place he had seen Sakura, a sinking sensation filling his gut as he searched for her petite form to gay abandon.

"_Fuck_! Where the hell is she?" He spat irately, attention split between killing their enemies and getting a fix on Sakura's location. Her chakra signal fizzled in and out of focus, accompanied by Sai's; both of which were frantically fluctuating as they drew further away from the rest of their teammates.

"She's with that artsy moron, heading north-west. Probably out of the forest, finding an open clearing to even the odds." Sasuke stated resolutely, a flare of anger settling in the pit of resentment he held especially for those who disobeyed his will. He was fucking _pissed_.

"I told her not to _leave my sight_!" Sasuke spat venomously, delivering a demonic kick to the stomach of a rapidly approaching shinobi, the force enough to send them flying into the furthest tree trunk from him and split the thickened bough apart with a sickening _'crack!'_

"Don't worry so much, teme! Sakura-chan is _super_ strong! She can hold her own! Besides, she's got Sai to back her up! Things won't play out like last time!" Naruto gasped out through gritted teeth as he propelled himself through the air, landing on the carefully timed Mokuton: Henge technique that Yamato had summoned at will, the thick branches of his wood style carrying Naruto into the thick of battle.

Sasuke cursed, at odds with his desire to protect Sakura and help Naruto, but his conscience won out, and he sprinted rapidly across the cragged earth dampened with rain beneath his fast-moving feet; jumping up onto the successive Henge that sprouted underfoot for him whilst glaring darkly at the incoming surge of nukenin forces.

_You'd better watch your backs, Sakura, Sai. Don't let your guards down and get yourselves killed while I'm not there!_

* * *

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* * *

"We should find a cliff face, Sai! That way we can escape, should we get overrun!" Sakura shouted, her bangs slapping against the exposed skin of her forehead and cheeks as she threw her weight forward, struggling to maintain the breakneck pace that Sai was keeping with apparent ease.

The only sign that pointed against this notion was the slouched posture that had settled over his sinewy frame, and Sakura felt a sympathetic prickle tickle its way down her spine at the sight. She would do her best to rectify this as soon as possible. For now, they had to focus on the fight ahead. Slipping into sensory mode, Sakura scouted out the competition; about twenty rogues of varying power levels were giving chase, and only four of them were cause for concern.

_If we eliminate them first, we'll probably be surrounded and killed by the other sixteen, weak as they are..._ The pink haired med-nin mused severely, eyes calculating as she scanned her peripherals for any sign of the enemy closing in on them. None so far. This, at least, gave Sakura the time needed to devise a solid tactical assault in retaliation against them.

"Sai! Looks like we'll have to tackle the weaker ones first. One of us will act as the diversionary element, the other the hard-hitter." She proclaimed through shuttered exhalations. Her lungs were running short on oxygen, and the frigid drops of biting rain did not help in the least bit; they were numbing her limbs, which were struggling to retain the same efficient speed as before. Soon she was sure they would buckle completely under her weight.

"Understood. I'll use my waterproof ink this time, to buy you a moment or two to recharge your chakra for the final assault." Sai returned curtly, shaggy black bangs sticking to his gaunt face as he turned his serious gaze upon her. He was entrusting her with his life. She could not afford to screw this up, or it meant both of their heads.

"Got it. Be sure to keep the weaklings busy while I contend with the rest. I've got just the jutsu to finish this quickly." Sakura exclaimed with a weary smile, dark shadows forming on her face from a lack of respite that was ingrained on the dark haired artist's visage as well. Whilst continuing to scan their layout for the perfect clearing for fair fighting, Sakura built up all of her reserves of chakra within her forehead, the dark diamond glowing iridescently at its centre as she channelled all of her strength into awakening her full potential once more.

She had expended too much chakra in her last battle, trying to continuously heal and kill all at once, but this time she was well equipped for the situation.

_This time, I won't lose._

* * *

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* * *

_Okay, so maybe I **will** lose_, Sakura thought wildly, her body riddled with bleeding welts―all superficial in depth and seriousness―as she felt the earth beneath her feet crumble a little more. Sai had lived up to his promise of entertaining their weaker foes, giving Sakura ample time to recover from her mild case of complete and total exhaustion as she sprung into the action once more.

She had been right about the four chakra signals she had zeroed in on; all were exceptional in their own way, and had the pinkette on her toes from the getgo. She had managed to knock down two of them―much to their utter shock and disbelief―before the remaining two got their wits about them and turned tactical.

And goddamn, they were something else when they combined their assault together. A mixture of rapidfire taijutsu enhanced with vicious ninjutsu, and Sakura was at a complete disadvantage, the tables turned on her as she took on a defensive stance; doing her absolute damnedest to avoid any serious damage as their earth-shattering offensive continued on in an endless barrage of raw power and skill.

Sakura had not been challenged like this in years, and she felt the weight of her weakness growing profounder by the second as they lashed away at her exposed skin; her coat had been abandoned long ago, and she profusely wished that the rain would send her screaming nerves into blissful oblivion, because this pain was too much to bear.

Another precise Doton-no-jutsu came crashing around her, the soil beneath her feet perilously loose as she was shepherded further away from Sai, and closer to the cliff edge that they had led them to. Ironic that it was her own plan being used against her. She had purposely proposed battling their enemies in such an open space so as to ensure an easy get away, should they become overwhelmed; what she had not anticipated was being herded towards a treacherous tumble off of a dangerously high precipice.

Without Sai's unique ability to draw creatures into existence at will, Sakura knew that she would not survive the plummet, and her heart lurched painfully in her chest as the nukenin focused on shattering her claim on buoyancy through the loosened earth underfoot. The relentless barrage of thundering rain did not help in her cause, as it sunk into the cracks of the spoiled ground, softening it dangerously as she shifted her frame slightly, trying to find a firm foothold that would root her in place.

This was not meant to be, as with one final, devastating blow, the earth beneath her feet melted away into nothingness, and then she was tumbling over the edge; her vision rapidly blurring against the whiplash of torrential winds as she lost sight of her enemies triumphant expressions amidst suspension.

And carrying through the intensifying downpour was Sai's anguished cry of her name, even as she fell into the chasmic abyss that awaited her below.

* * *

***.*.*.*.*.TBC.*.*.*.*.***

* * *

**Ending Remarks:** _So this is Part III. Expect Part IV some time in the near future. Please, please, **please** leave me a review! _

_They will help me to finish off this last installment! :D_

_Until the next time I update (I can't promise tomorrow, since, well, I didn't exactly keep that promise last time, now, did I?)~~_

-x-**R**_ i_ n-x-


	16. Mission (Part IV)

**Author's Note:** _I hope this chapter will satisfy your hunger for smut. /sweats profusely/_

_If anyone here has Instagram, do follow me! I post art related stuff, and I plan to take some pics of fanart that I have done for not only my fics, but in general as well. The name is amateruu! :3_

_Also, as an added note, do any of you listen to the tracks that I recommend? It would be nice to add on to my musical inspiration playlist, as it helps me to write, so do send me in some tunes for my 'pod. (:_

**Today's Playlist:** "White as Snow" **by** _**Lucy Mason**_, "Without You" **by _Ashes Remain_**, "Heart of Fire" **by** _**Valentin Wiest**_, "ドレス (Dress)" **by** _**BUCK-TICK**_, "Treasure" **by _Amethystium_**, "Even in Death" **by** _**Evanescence**_, "Ever After" **by** _**Marianas Trench**_, "I Know You" **by** _**Skylar Grey**_ (this is their anthem, I swear), "Love Me Like You Do" **by** _**Ellie Goulding**_, "Because I Love You" **by _Yiruma_ **(plus RainyMood in the bg), "Salted Wound" and "Big Girls Cry" **by** _**Sia** _(she makes me so proud to be Australian honestly.)

* * *

_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

* * *

**Sixteen:** Mission (Part IV)

**.**

_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura; Team Kakashi**_

_**Categories: Romance**_

_**Rating: M (for smutty goodness)**_

* * *

Sasuke cut through the endless treetops, following the waning chakra signals of his teammates until he was thrust into the thick of a completely one-sided battle. Sai was currently handling at least twelve nukenin alone, whilst his pink haired lover was nowhere to be seen. Panic filled his gut in the form of cold deadweight, and the raven haired Uchiha was quick to jump into the fray; both to save his sort-of-but-not-really friend from the clutches of an unfair fight, and to interrogate the inky haired youth as to the whereabouts of Sakura.

Sasuke unsheathed his kusanagi with lightning-like reflexes, flash-stepping into the fray with such stealth that very few actually registered his presence until he had started carving into them; removing them of their limbs and their acquaintance with living as fast as he had intervened on Sai's behalf. Sasuke cast him a cursory glance, noting his haggard appearance and various injuries, all bleeding quite profusely as he struggled to maintain his balance. Sasuke honestly didn't blame him. Taking on so many at once, with the element of numbers as a deciding factor on how the battle was going to end, was not ideal for any shinobi, and thus he was determined to finish this quickly.

By this point, Naruto and Yamato had caught up with the rampaging Uchiha, and were already kicking into gear as they unleashed a violent assault upon the first rogue ninja they could sink their jutsu into. Sasuke poured a merciless amount of chakra into his sharpened blade's hilt, the frantic static of his chidori nagashi filling the air as he cut through his foes with ease, using the element of surprise and the weather against them.

Bloodcurdling screams quickly filled the air, crimson staining the field of broken, soggy earth in vast puddles. Sai staggered a little, Sasuke's hand snapping out to steady him before they formed a tag-team defensive manoeuvre, their backs pressed firmly together as they scouted out their odds of success.

_They look a lot better now... _Sai thought with a relieved sigh, eyes heavy as he forced the exhaustion from his shrinking frame. _Sure took them long enough. _

"Where's Sakura?" Sasuke asked coldly, dark eyes narrowed fiercely in a particularly haughty nukenin's direction as he nudged his elbow against Sai's ribs.

"Gone." Sai responded curtly, Sasuke wrought dangerously taut at the artist's simple statement.

"That bastard across from you, along with his friend over here, sent her careening off of the cliff. I tried to get to her in time, but I was surrounded on all sides. I'm sorry." Sai lamented morosely, clearly upset by the happenstance that had led to Sakura's untimely exit from their sides, and for once, Sasuke did not blame anyone but those responsible for her dire cliff-dive.

The dark haired ANBU Operative keenly sensed the drastic change in Sasuke's tense frame, the animosity leaking out of his every pore suffocating and smothering the atmosphere around them in a dangerous aura that was palpable to their foes as well. They all took a step back, unprepared for the murderous desire for bloodshed that had become all too apparent in the two men before them. Suddenly they weren't such easy prey to contend with.

"It's your lucky day." Sasuke intoned darkly, eyes flashing scarlet and lavender in the shadowed cloak of night as he shifted his stance protectively in front of Sai, legs spaced apart as he sheathed his sword with intentional punctuality.

"You get to sit back and watch me make these fuckers bleed and scream for death."

And then he swooped in for the kill, thunder heralding their ends with brutal accuracy.

* * *

Sakura's head throbbing in absolute splitting agony had her spiralling back into consciousness once more, her green eyes bleary as she raised her right arm gingerly from the sandy bank that she had washed up onto; her hand coming to tentatively brush against her sticky forehead. As she had expected, her fingers retracted with a dark smear of red staining their tips, and she winced as another stab of pain cracked through her skull. She was hit with the worry that she had a concussion, but she swallowed that minor concern as the events that had transpired who knows how long ago flew through her mind.

_Oh god, is Sai okay? Fuck, please be okay! _Sakura screamed internally, her frenzied panic returning full force as she attempted to push herself into a seated position; naturally after the fall she had taken, her body was not yet ready to communicate with her brain's anxious synaptic messages, and she collapsed in a heap of heavy, aching limbs and muscles.

"Nngh... Fuck me..." Sakura groaned disparagingly, her green eyes falling to a close as she focused all of her chakra into healing her most extensive case of vertigo yet. "Why now, of all times, do I have to fuck everything up and leave all the legwork to my friends...?" She continued with a hiss of pain as she felt the cracking of her shattered bones realigning and mending together once more.

"And after all of that time spent recuperating too. Fuck my nonexistent luck to hell and back!" Sakura rolled onto her side, eyes watering with tears of utter contempt as she turned over onto her back with a yelp of discomfiture. She was sore all over, and it was any wonder that she had survived at all. She was thankful for her internal chakra mechanism that had cushioned her fall with enough power that she had not incurred any life-threatening injuries.

Even so, she was as worse for wear as they came, and total and irreparable exhaustion forced her consciousness away from the forefront of her thoughts.

Sakura slipped back into the awaiting embrace of inertia as sleep washed over her once more.

* * *

"SAKURA-CHAN! WHERE ARE YOU, SAKURA-CHAN? ANSWER ME, PLEASE!" Naruto called out desperately, blue eyes frantic as he ran along the dampened riverbank with hasty footfalls sinking indulgently into the wet sand. Team Kakashi had split up in order to cover more area as quickly as possible, and the blonde was running on an agenda all his own; he wanted more than anything to be the one to find her this time, because he felt as if he had failed her in her last encounter with the enemy. He wanted to be the one who saved her from death, because she was such an important person in his heart that it would be devastating if it wasn't him.

He understood that she was Sasuke's greatest love and greatest weakness, and he prayed that if anyone else were to find her, that it would be him; hell, so long as _someone _found her, and with haste, he didn't really care. Even so, that did not stop him from raging down his own warpath as he searched his surroundings with sharp azure eyes for any sign of her trademark pink tresses and her petite figure. "Shit fucking damn, where are you, Sakura-chan?!" Naruto hissed anxiously, face contorted with fear as he pondered on the idea of finding her washed up, broken within an inch of her life and already dead.

The sickening lurch in his gut adamantly dissuaded the notion from existence. There was no way in hell that his Sakura-chan would ever die so easily. It wasn't in her DNA to surrender from life so fruitlessly. She was alive, somewhere, and he was bound to stumble upon her eventually.

He stopped dead in his tracks. There, as if the silver lining to his previous musings, in the distance, he could make out the indistinct figure of a young woman with pastel pink hair, lying half covered in rapidly moving water; unmoving. His previous kick of adrenaline bolstered a thousand fold, and he flew through the air like gravity did not exist.

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

* * *

"...kura-chan!" Sakura's hearing blurred fuzzily into existence once more as she stirred, her shoulder rocking two and fro gently as she registered the heated weight of a hand shaking her back into consciousness. Her head lolled about on the gritty substance beneath her head, and she groaned when the persisting edge of an impending migraine flared to life behind her closed eyelids.

"Am I dead yet...?" Sakura asked no one in particular as she squirmed in obvious discomfort, trying to regain her bearings with as much dignity as possible.

A gravelly, resonant chuckle filled her senses with profound warmth, and she smiled softly as she recognised its unique tenor; his scent, full of sunshine and perspiration, was weighed down by rain, but never the less it was as comforting as it had always been, and Sakura opened her weary eyes only to be met with Naruto's relieved countenance.

"Oh thank fucking god! You're still alive, _oh fuck_―do you know what Sasuke would have _done _if you had _died_? Fuck, do you know what _we all _would have done?" Naruto exclaimed heatedly, his voice brimming with emotion as tears filled his darkening eyes.

Sakura smiled tenderly up at him as he lifted her gently over his lap, pulling her to his chest in a fierce embrace as he wept softly into her hair.

"I know, Naruto. I'm sorry." Was all she could muster through her own onslaught of emotion.

"Don't ever say sorry for the things that aren't your fault, Sakura-chan. Blame those fucking evil nukenin bastards for what they've done to you, _again_." Naruto growled with barely suppressed rage, his frame trembling with the repressed urge to inflict pain on her tormentors as he hugged the stuffing out of her still form.

"I can't wait to get you back to the others. They're worried _sick_, Sakura-chan; _especially _teme. He was _so fucking angry_ when he found out that you had fallen off that cliff face. I don't think I've ever seen him kill anyone quite so violently before." He continued with a rough voice riddled with feeling as he curled his arms around her light frame, lifting her with ease as he stood erect once more; intent on carrying her back to their makeshift camp site.

Sakura looked mildly surprised by Naruto's admission. Sasuke had actually gone into berserker mode for her sake? It seemed all too farfetched for her to believe, but then again, she had not been there. If Naruto said that Sasuke had been out of sorts with rage, then the pinkette could not dispute him.

"Is he okay, Naruto? What about Sai and Yamato-taichou? No one is seriously injured, right?"

"Nah, we're all fine, Sakura-chan. I think Sai took the worst clobbering. When Sasuke got to him, he was half-dead on his feet with exhaustion." Naruto proclaimed with a fierce smile that belied his usual bitter disposition regarding the politically incorrect artist.

"He was so worried over you that even when we told him to stay put at our meet-up post, he insisted on coming out to search for you as well. Nobody was more torn over your safety than him. I think Sasuke was pretty impressed by his resolve, because he gave him one of his own soldier pills and forced him to accompany him. Said it was to make sure he didn't drop dead on the way down here." He continued with a terse laugh, the gruffness of his tenor warming her to her toes.

She was still shivering from the frigid cold of the river sinking into her pores, but Naruto's radiant heat melted seamlessly into her numbed limbs. Safe. She was finally safe.

"It's safe to say that teme likes Sai more than he has ever let on. He might be an insensitive twat sometimes, but when it comes to Team Kakashi, Sasuke knows that Sai really does care for our collective wellbeing. There might be hope of them getting along yet." Sakura smiled fleetingly at this statement, for she knew that the two men, although they clearly had their differences, shared a lot of traits that made them similar in ways that she and Naruto could never begin to understand.

* * *

Sasuke's eyes were narrowed into focused slits as he surveyed his surroundings deftly, searching for any sign of his pink haired lover with dread coiling unpleasantly in his gut. Sai kept up with his relentless pace admirably for one in his condition, fatigue staining his pallid expression as he spurned himself onward by sheer willpower alone.

His wounds were sluggishly bleeding from beneath the makeshift bandages that Yamato had secured tightly around them, and he was barely suppressing his heavy limp as he forged onward, and Sasuke was surprised at the amount of quiet admiration he had for the ANBU member. It seemed he was worthy of that claim to fame, then.

The air was terribly drafty, the roaring winds throwing sharp spatters of rain into their open eyes as they ran sightlessly into the void around them. They were amidst a large, barren cove, the crevice a blaring chasm that spread for miles on end from one side to the other, and had an even starker drop to the bottom from the perilously high cliff tops overhead.

Which were so high up, in fact, that they could barely discern their forms from where they stood now. It had been an interesting experience riding down on one of Sasuke's eagle summons, to say the least, as it had taken several long minutes before the sandy earth had come into sight.

The raven haired Uchiha maintained his treacherous pace, ensuring that the elder nin was within his sights as he scoured the expansive area once more. Yamato had taken another of Sasuke's summons to observe the ground from above, and his scouter had been tuned into theirs so that, should he be the one to spot her first, could inform them of her approximate location. So far it was quiet on his end, only the dim rushing of wind and rain filtering into their senses as they sprinted along the soggy sand.

"She shouldn't be too far from here." Sai offered to fill the tense silence that had settled between them, his gaze drawn skyward as Sasuke inclined his head mutely in his direction.

"The cliff face lines up with the fallen debris about ten miles north-west of here." He continued without inflection touching his tone, his right arm poised in front of him as he pointed out the broken soil overhead.

"If she fell into the river, then judging by its directional speed versus time, I'd say she would have been washed up fairly close to where she fell from, but on the bank opposite us."

Sasuke listened in silence, nodding to show that he was paying heed to his explanation.

"It's too dangerous to cross the water on foot, given how tumultuous it is. We'd merely be pulled under with the tide. We'll have to fly across, when the time comes." Sai finished resolutely, his pace picking up to match Sasuke's unrelentingly as he reinforced his claim with a spurt of vigor that surprised both men. Never the less, they barrelled onward in a comfortable silence; watching and waiting for the moment that a head of bright pink hair surfaced into being amidst the sombre fortress of heavy rain that had encumbered their moods so greatly.

* * *

"It feels like we've been walking _forever_..." Naruto proffered moodily, a scowl fixed on his drenched face as he adjusted his grip on the shivering pinkette wrapped in his steely embrace. He had covered her with his waterproof cloak to give her a layer of warmth that she had not had when he had found her, the hood pulled over her head as she rested weakly against his shoulder.

His feet sunk ceaselessly into the gritty mush beneath his sandalled feet, and the tendons in his calves were burning from the strain of conforming to gravity. It had been hours of walking endlessly in one direction, and now he regretted giving his earpiece to Sasuke, proclaiming boldly that he could just use the bond he shared with the raven haired Uchiha to ignite a form of warning.

It was all for naught, for now he did not have enough chakra to even fizzle out a response. Heaving out a withering sigh of fatigue, Naruto trudged over the bank with as much enthusiasm as a wilting flower; he was sick of sand with no traction and rain and was more than happy to trade it in for the sweltering heat of Sunagakure, the one place not burdened by a bothersome case of winter blues.

"It really does." Sakura agreed through chattering teeth, her face ghastly in its paleness when Naruto glanced askance at her. He bit his lip. She needed to get out of this rain, and into a hot bath pronto, else she was liable to die of hypothermia.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'm sure we're bound to run into one of our teammates soon."

The pinkette huffed out a fragile laugh consisting of clamouring lips and gnashing teeth, the sound omitted nothing more than a breathy sigh as she sunk further into the blonde jinchuuriki's warmth. It had sounded plainly sardonic, even to Naruto's untrained hearing, and concern for her mental state rocketed up tenfold.

"By then we'll both be popsicles, Naruto. I'm sure of it."

"No way in hell, Sakura-chan, will I let either of us perish here, under these shitty circumstances! Fuck that, that isn't what the world has planned for us!" He retorted tersely, pouting a little in clear disapproval of her negative attitude as he sauntered onward, his strength rejuvenated in an effort to prove her pessimism wrong. Sakura had the decency to look cowed, her dull green eyes apologetic as she squeezed the hand cupping her ribs gently―mostly because she no longer had the power in her to truly mean friction or force.

Naruto smiled faintly at her persuasive gesture, no longer in the mood for sulking as he scanned his nearby surroundings for an awning to take refuge underneath. He needed to take a soldier pill and summon Gamabunta for a free ride up top, as there was no way he was going to make it up there by sheer force of will alone.

What he found was even better.

"OI, TEME, SAI! OVER HERE!"

And in the distance, the forms of their dark haired teammates barrelled towards them from the other side of the expansive riverbed. Sakura started from the depth and volume of Naruto's impetuous holler, shoving her weight from his arms and landing awkwardly on her own feet in the waterlogged sand much to his surprise. He steadied her with both of his hands, only his left leaving a touch of warmth on her bared shoulder as he helped her regain her acquaintance with equilibrium.

That very same hand slipped around her shoulder, and she leaned into him gratefully, using him as a human crutch as she limped her way towards the edge of the raging rapids with anticipation curling in her gut.

_Sasuke-kun... Sai... Thank god you're both safe..._

Naruto halted her about half way toward the tumultuous river, smile brightening his features in confidence as a loud burst of cloud split through the relentless downpour; and then there was a massive hawk flying fixatedly towards them, the two men astride the avian creature wearing mixed expressions of neutrality and relief.

Sakura's heart fluttered girlishly in her chest when she noted that Sasuke's eyes were glued solely on her, barely passing Naruto a fleeting glance as they landed effortlessly a few feet away. The hawk folded its expansive wings at its sides limply, crouching low into the soft sand as Sasuke propelled himself towards the ground with haste, his feet barely touching the wet grains as he stalked his way over to the two of them.

He was riddled with tension, a sign of his great duress, and as Sakura stepped out from beneath the shadow of Naruto's arm and started towards him, she could see it plainly lacing every taut plain of his body.

Anxiety unravelled in her stomach at the thought of him snapping at her in a fit of rage similar to her last encounter with "death," but she was left pleasantly shocked when he pulled her into his arms without a moment's hesitation. His right hand wound itself into her pink tresses, forcing her neck to crane upwards until her chin was resting against his shoulder; he was so far bent over her that she was afraid that he would sink into her and would lose himself in her aching muscles, and the tightening of his grip on her left her breathless.

His wholesome scent filtered into her nostrils, and she was suddenly bathed in a heat that quenched her of her bitter chill. Once again, she was warm in his embrace; warm in the home that he offered her amidst that steely refuge. Finally, she was home.

"_Sakura_." He addressed her with such conviction in his voice that it startled her, his hands sinking deeper into her flesh and bone as he cradled her to him, the rain and their friends no longer registering in their minds as they indulged in a moment of absolute bliss. Faintly Sakura heard the beating of another set of frantic wings, but she could only bury her face further into the crook of Sasuke's neck, content to live in this precious moment of reunion for a little while longer.

"Sasuke-kun... I'm here... Always..." It was a soft murmur, meant only for her lover's ears, and he responded to her by placing a searing kiss to the exposed juncture of her shoulder; instantly eradicating every skitterish goosebump from her prickling skin and replacing them with a feverish sheen of sweat instead. There was something in the way that he was holding her that was... _different _from his usual embraces.

Something substantial. Something just short of desperation, a subliminal desire to close the distance between them far more intimately; and as he pulled back to gaze into her sparkling green eyes with intense ebony irises, she knew that she was right. Electricity burned its way down her spine, coiling in her stomach as nervous butterflies took its place.

"I won't ever let you out my sight again, you hear me?" Sasuke punctuated his statement with a firm kiss to her forehead, her hands coming to rest upon his stomach. She felt his words resonate deeply within her, and she knew then that he was going to make true on that whispered promise of pain and pleasure. She welcomed both with open arms as she sunk into him once more.

* * *

"This should suffice for the remainder of the night." Yamato stated bluntly, stepping through the threshold of a homestead located just outside of the border to Konohagakure. It was a step up from the squalid keepings of the previous evening, but it still left a lot to be desired. An elderly woman, plump and jovial as they came, ushered them in with loud proclamations of welcome, leading them to the front desk where she promptly served them.

"Why hello there, my dears! What can Natsuki's Bed and Breakfast do for you this late in the night? I take it you are looking for lodging? Terrible weather we've been getting lately; stuck between rain, hail and snow, I wish it would make up its mind―"

"I apologise for my forwardness, but yes, we are in need of your services this evening. If you wouldn't mind, we would like to impose on your kindly offer of refuge from the rain, and purchase some rooms for the remainder of the night." Yamato quipped smoothly, ever the gentleman as he made his request known. Natsuki looked absolutely thrilled by his eloquent mannerisms, her tickled pink expression not going amiss by the remainder of Team Kakashi. Naruto looked a little nauseated by it all, Sai was bored and barely standing as he leaned precariously into his side for support, and Sasuke was a mixture of exasperation and impatience as he pulled Sakura closer to his ribcage to keep her warm.

"Yes, yes, of course! Let me see here..." Natsuki flipped through her hotel's log-book, eyes bright and defying the sagging wrinkles weighing down the skin around them as she thumbed her way through the aged records with vigour. Her palm stopped at her exclamation of glee, and she ran her index finger down the centre of the page, deep in thought.

"Hm, well, I have three rooms that are vacant. I'm sorry to say this," she proffered with a smypathetic smile in their direction, "but that means you will have to buddy up for the night. There is one master bedroom and two other rooms with double-single beds. The choice is yours how you will divide yourselves up." She closed the weathered cover with a resounding _'thud!'_, fixing them with a pleasant smile as she searched their faces for any sign of refusal. She found none.

"That will be fine, Natsuki-san. I thank you for your hospitality." Yamato simpered charmingly, his dark eyes weary but grateful as he pulled out his money pouch, intent on paying her for her trouble. She surprised them all by placing her hand over his own, expression kind as she shook her head from side to side.

"That won't be necessary, my dear. It has been a long night, and you have come past curfew. I do not take money after hours. Besides..." She trailed off, taking in the exhausted faces of Team Kakashi with empathy lining her gentle eyes.

"You all look as if you need a break from propriety." Turning on her heel, Natsuki reached up to thumb three sets of keys into her small, wrinkled palm, and without pause she handed them over the front counter to the stunned Captain.

"Room's 17, 29 and 45 are all on the fifth floor landing; first door on the left, twelfth door to the right and the twenty-first door at the very end of the hall ―otherwise known as the master bedroom. Rest well, children. Breakfast is served promptly at seven thirty. Please be sure to make an appearance, as I will make it worth your while." Natsuki continued with flourish, all business but sweet about it as she ushered them down the foyer and up to the first flight of stairs.

"It's a bit of a walk, but it is nice and private. See you in the morning." And then they were sent on their way, a cloying sense of relief mixed with fatigue as they trudged up the stairs, Yamato leading the way as the others straggled behind (mostly because two of the five members of Team Kakashi had to be half carried up the staircases.)

The accommodations were small, nearly as suffocating as the last inn they had all but lived in for the last few weeks, but tidy, and they were equipped with their own bathrooms to boot. Yamato had been given the master bedroom, being their taichou and more than deserving of the privilege, whilst Naruto had tactfully slipped into the first room with Sai in tow.

"Someone has to put up with his crap all night, and I really don't think you're up for it, Sakura-chan." He had exclaimed cheekily, an imperceptible slyness in his expression as he slammed the door behind them. So it had been unanimously decided that she would be bunking with Sasuke for the night.

The raven haired Uchiha looked mildly concerned as he helped support Sakura's weight as best he could through the doorway, letting her go only to close the door behind them. She surveyed their surroundings, whilst dripping profusely with rain water, her limbs shivering from the cold that had begun to seep into her lithe frame.

Sasuke turned over the lock, his sole hand resting warmly against the small of her back as he led her further into the room; settling between the two beds as he slipped away to undress. It was incredibly difficult for Sakura to stop herself from ogling as her dark haired lover slipped out of his damp shirt, peeling it away from his rippling musculature and letting it fall to the floor with a wet _'squelch!'_

He was angled in such a way that his profile caught the luminous glow of the waning lamp light, which was softly omitting from the aged contraption placed carefully on the bedside table that separated the two mattresses from one another, and Sakura had never felt so parched before. Her heart thumped chaotically in her chest as she averted her gaze, turning her back to him whilst shrugging out of Naruto's dampened cloak with all the elegance of a limbless cadaver; she was so nervous, in fact, that her hands shook violently amidst their numbed state, and she could not wrap her fingers around the fastening that held it fixedly in place for the life of her.

_Goddammit, why_―_this is so humiliating...! _Sakura intoned internally with a mental sneer of derision, her face quickly heating up when she felt Sasuke's presence sink indulgently into place behind her quailing frame. His arms folded around her shoulders without pause for pretense, and she shuddered shakily in response when she realised just how cold she really was. Sasuke reached around her, chin coming to rest upon the top of her rosette locks as he stooped down to her level, fingers agile and efficient in their dexterity as he removed the heavy fabric from her with ease―allowing the waterlogged material to slip from the petite set of her shoulders and fall in a crumpled heap at their feet.

"Don't suffer in silence. Just ask when you need me, Sakura." Sasuke murmured softly, his once steely ebony irises lukewarm with worry as he slid down the zipper of her tunic shirt, peeling the mucky material away from her tender ivory flesh.

"I'm right here." He finished resolutely, rubbing his hands in a comforting slide against her trembling forearms as the first spattering of goosebumps made themselves apparent. She was so, so very cold, and his touch was just what she needed in order to stave off her jittery tremors. She had been so high-strung over their fates, and not knowing what had become of them when she had passed out that she had feared the absolute worst.

And what heightened these feelings was the very real possibility of her losing her life; she was not afraid of dying, but death embraced all without discrimination, and it was only by mere chance alone that the ones she loved most had been spared that fate.

Sai had only barely scraped through their previous encounter with his life because Sasuke, Naruto and Yamato had arrived in time to act as his support in the wake of her absence. It was her nearly getting killed that had caused such an irreparable situation to have occurred. She was the catalyst that had almost cost her teammates their lives, and she fell into her despair as her weakness truly dawned on her. She knew she was strong. She had kicked more ass than anyone could count, had battled with the best of them and come out victorious. But the unrelenting fact that there were still people capable of knocking her down, even with all of her proposed "monstrous strength," had reinforced her self-deprecation. She had been naïve to take her opponents for child's play.

_Never underestimate your enemy, Sakura. There is always a fifty-fifty chance of getting killed just by letting arrogance and ego cloud your judgement. _Tsunade had literally beaten this into her body as a teenager, left her broken and bleeding so that she could mend the flaws in her reasoning with a solemn glean in her amber eyes.

She had fallen into that trap once more, for she had overestimated her own abilities by making Sai tackle his weight in opposition alone. Sakura had been so wrapped up in self-confidence in her abilities, not knowing that her enemies had a few tricks of their own up their fraying sleeves, that she had once again raised tensions amongst her loved ones.

For yet another night, they had to shack up in less than desirable conditions, and guilt was eating away at her conscience. But more than anything, Sakura felt the weight of Sasuke's quiet anger and displeasure, for he was tenser than a wound up coil as he stripped her skin bare with mechanical precision. She was so disappointed in herself for letting his expectations of her slip by the wayside, and as her throat tightened with an intense flood of raw emotion, the pinkette had to fight back encroaching tears and gut-wrenching sobs behind trembling lips and furiously blinking eyelids.

Sasuke, ever observant, noted the gradual shift in her demeanour; from the sagging of her shoulders to her pointed silence, Sakura was a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode, and the dark haired Uchiha felt his eyes narrow imperceptibly in concern. He was nearly positive he knew what was going through her mind in that moment, and he wanted more than anything to dissuade the notions from her thoughts completely. But he did not have the words to express the muddled emotions that were currently coursing through his bloodstream.

Certainly he was angry; angry that she had nearly been taken from him, _again_. He was frustrated that he hadn't made it to her side before she had taken a drastic dive off of a perilous cliff face. He had had his breath stolen from him at the feeling of his heart crumbling inside of his chest when Sai had informed him of her "death." And now all he felt was a mounting need to reaffirm her existence in his life, because even if she was here in body, her mind and heart were far from present, and he did not like that separation in the least.

Sakura started when Sasuke brushed her dripping pink tresses from the nape of her neck, tucking them over her left shoulder as he buried his face against the exposed skin left there. He brushed his lips against the hollow of her throat on his descent, planting a firmer kiss against the dip petering out into the elegant slope of her shoulder as he breathed her in once more.

His dark eyes had fallen to a close, long eyelashes brushing against her skin as he trailed his hands down her arms in a tenuous tease that sent electric sparks down her spine. He wrapped her up in his warmth, right hand crossed possessively over her stomach and hip as the other cupped her jaw from behind. Heart thumping chaotically in her chest, Sakura was sure it was about to lodge itself in between her tonsils and suffocate her to death. Her mouth was dryer than Suna's expansive and arid desert, and her eyes were wide with surprise. Sasuke being affectionate was nothing new, but to this desperate degree?

It was a step out of both of their comfort zones, and Sakura found herself unsure of what to do or how to proceed from there. It was all up to Sasuke, then, to set the pace for whatever was to come from this.

The raven haired Uchiha was restrained in his desire to pull her any closer to him, for fear of crossing the invisible line between them that, once violated, could never be returned to what it once was. He did not want to scare her away, but he was a man of action, and no words could describe what he was feeling better than his body could. Sensing his hesitation, Sakura tentatively closed the distance between them, her back pressing itself firmly against the solid muscles of his chest as her own hands, covered in fresh scratches and a smattering of wet sand, came to rest upon his right forearm. She gave a gentle, reassuring squeeze, placating his mounting sense of trepidation and instead replacing it with a wave of calm.

Suddenly, Sasuke was pulled back into reality, grounded in this moment, _their_ moment—she was here.

Not dead in a distant ditch hundreds of miles away.

Not out of his range of sight. She was right there, pressed to his chest and warmer than life itself.

A delicate sneeze vacated her, breaking the quiet tension between them and reinforcing the fact that although Sakura was sunlight itself to him, she was physically not projecting such a warmth from within herself. He ran tender hands over her arms once more, painfully aware that only the friction from his right hand was stimulating any sense of heat against her skin.

The pinkette smiled gratefully up at him over her shoulder, leaning her head back against his pectorals as she took in his rugged profile. Even exhausted beyond the point of rational thought, he was so incredibly beautiful. Sakura couldn't help but admire the way his chiselled features adopted a fond softness whenever he gazed upon her; it made him look like he was not collecting the years that were rapidly passing them both by. He had a youthful maturity that belied the experiences that he had suffered and endured throughout the entirety of his life, and it was emphatically enhanced through the sharp lines of his cuttingly handsome visage.

The beginnings of a morning shadow had begun to dance across his jaw, and it seemed to highlight just how fair his complexion really was. Never the less, the surface of his cool flesh was relatively smooth, causing pleasant butterflies to flutter about in her tummy whenever his cheek brushed against her temple.

Sasuke's bangs had grown out a lot since they were teenagers, and now they fell over that dazzling rinne-sharingan of his, obscuring the violet iris from her view as he brushed his nose against the crest of her head in a sweet show of affection that had her heart hammering in her chest. His hold on her tightened imperceptibly, and she smiled to herself. He was too wonderful for words to even begin to describe.

Sakura knew that he had put her through a lot; he was more aware of that than anyone. She remembered with keen fervency how adamant he had been about her finding someone else to love, because he felt that he did not deserve such selfless sentiments after everything that he had said and done to her. She had laughed in his face, his befuddlement increasing in volume when she turned her brightest smile on him in retaliation.

"It'll be a cold day in hell before that ever happens, Sasuke-kun. My love can't be swayed or shaken by anything; not even the person it is forever intended for! Sorry, but you're stuck with me!" She had said it brimming with confidence, but soon her embarrassment returned to colour her cheeks a fierce shade of red when Sasuke had thrown his head back and sighed in apparent defeat.

"I really can't win if it's you." He had exclaimed, exasperation clear in his tone even when his expression screamed that he was smitten with her. He had poked her on the forehead then, smiling kindly amidst it all.

"So if this is the way it's gonna be, then I guess you're stuck with me. If you'll have me."

Sakura had been stunned into absolute silence, her green eyes wide with surprise as he rested his artificial hand against her cheek. A wet heat burned behind her eyes as she grinned up at him, lost in endless ebony as she vocalised her assent with a loud "Shannaro!"

It had been a moment to treasure and remember forever. In that one decadent instant, Sakura had finally received the recognition that she had been craving from him for so long; the fact that he could reciprocate had blown her world apart, and as was to be expected, it had reformed with even thicker roots around Sasuke's very existence, absorbing his love in order to feed her own. The pinkette felt her chest tighten with raw emotion as she pondered on his offhanded confession once again, her entire being throbbing in sensate delight as he looked down at her with those very same sooty eyes—his expression one of hesitant awe as he leaned down and pressed their foreheads together.

She was reacquainted with his comforting heat, and his scent—weathered down by the rain and the earth—wafted into her nostrils. It was subtle, nearly imperceptible, but that heady sweetness warmed her to her toes. Nothing could begin to compare. It was her favourite smell. It smelled like home. _He_ was her home. Anchored in that blissful interlude, where the heavy pattering of rain and rumbling thunder in the distance echoed forebodingly in the tinny atmosphere of their room, Sakura lost herself in his arms, pressing her nose against his and nuzzling closer to the bared skin of his chest.

Her training top, made of stretchy black fabric and cropped beneath her bust, was restricted by her chest binder, but it was soaked through to her bound breasts, and it ripped a few more shivers from her unwitting frame. Noticing her growing discomfort, Sasuke pried himself away from her trembling body, gently turning her around to face him with hands that were permanently marred by the aftermath of war—both literal and psychological. The sole dark iris that Sakura could perceive narrowed in obvious concern, his lips twisted with an unrecognisable emotion as he slid his hands down her sides, fingers clumsily trying to find purchase on the straps that pinned her binder so closely to her skin.

Sakura stiffened in surprise, the heat gathering unbidden in her cheeks as he found his mark. Head tilted to the side, the raven haired Uchiha tugged at the reinforced Velcro, the crackle of the edges peeling away from each other resounding loudly in the small space between them. Neither made any effort to separate, Sakura unconsciously stepping further into Sasuke's ministrations as he began the tedious process that came with unravelling her tight binder. He had asked her, just once, on a hot day out training, why she would put herself through such torture. She had a wonderful figure, and he did not see the point in her hiding it from the world.

She had become shy then, saying that it was more practical for her to train that way. When he had asked her to elaborate, she had blushed, averting her gaze from his as she gazed pointedly at the sky overhead.

"I, well… Being a woman, especially a kunoichi, is really hard. Gravity isn't as kind to us as it is for our male counterparts. Having extra fat filled with nerves and glands strapped onto our chests for the long-run is kind of counterintuitive when engaging in intensive exercise, or in battle. It's just easier to get by like this."

Sasuke remembered distinctly the colour of her rosy cheeks as she bit her lip then, shifting her weight in an attempt to shake off her mortification as she glanced at him through long eyelashes. He had been unabashed in his staring, and that had raised the colour in her face another notch. Even then, in that dim, quiet little room on the outskirts of Konoha, with rain pouring endlessly around them, Sasuke could clearly see her blush staining every inch of exposed skin, and a curl of masculine pride filled his gut to the brim.

He had never been more glad for his apparent hereditary "good looks," for her desire of him was palpable; and it satisfied an inclination within him that he had not been aware had existed until she had opened those doors for him. He pulled the scratchy fabric away from her sore skin, allowing aforementioned gravity to do its job as it fell in a soundless heap on the floor by their feet; leaving her nearly as naked as he was.

The toned, rippling musculature of his exposed torso, dampened with rain and perspiration, glistened in the dim flickering of the oil lamp on the bedside table. Scars littered every square inch of naked flesh, the evidence of battles he had won and the reminders of those who had fallen by his hand etched into the very depths of his skin, beckoning Sakura's practiced touch. As a medic, she wanted to obliterate all traces of imperfection in order to restore those poor, wounded souls on the battlefield to who they once were; but Sasuke hadn't wanted that.

He had said that scars were more than just skin-deep, and that he had lived with far worse for far longer. He wanted to keep his flaws in order to remind himself of the person he had become through all of the physical trials he had faced in his life.

"I don't want to live a life that blurs the line between truth and reality. It is what it is, Sakura. I refuse to pretend to be unaffected by those around me. Not anymore. Erasing the tangible proof does not mean that my sins will cease to exist. They are a part of me, as you are. Both are things that I cannot live without." He had kissed her then, not allowing her the time to process his words as she pressed back against him in immediate supplication.

That was a memory that they both cherished dearly, for she had accepted his vulnerable honesty without batting an eye; and he had fully opened his heart to her without fear of her taking advantage of that fact.

He trusted her more than he had ever trusted anybody with his deepest thoughts and feelings, and she held them in the cradle of her selfless love as their greatest protector. She would never let anyone hurt him. Never again. The ocean of love in her eyes was frothing endlessly, and she was not shy in showing him that he was her entire world. She lay her cool palms against his breastbone, fingers splayed over his heart as he brushed a stray strand of pink from her wet cheeks, tucking it behind her ear as he leaned down to match her height.

Sakura met him half way, left hand sliding over his pectoral, collarbone, shoulder until she was cupping the base of his neck; his dark hair, dripping under the burdensome weight of the elements, hung limp and longer than usual—brushing against her fingertips even as she slid them into the inky depths without a moment's hesitation. The pinkette tilted her neck upwards, receiving his heated kiss with a fervency that startled them both.

His hands were resting firmly against her hips, the delicious curve of her waist swooping out to meet his palms as he pulled her closer to him, his tongue brushing against hers as he deepened their lip-lock indefinitely—the guttural moan that rose in her chest in response to his daring dip sending vibrations through his teeth and immediately southward bound.

Mouth moving insistently against his, Sakura found herself on her toes, right arm joining her left around his broad shoulders as she pressed herself against Sasuke's lean stature. His hands slid higher up her body as she did so, the coarse material of her crop top causing an irritating friction against his nipples that summoned a resonant groan in the recesses of his scarred chest.

It had to go, _now_.

The hairs on Sakura's body rose, almost in protest, to the carnality present in her lover's movements, his large hands pressing against the sides of her covered breasts in an effort to rip her undershirt from her lithe figure. Breaking away from their kiss with an audible gasp for air, Sakura took the opportunity to disentangle herself from his limbs, allowing him the access that he so desired to her body.

Without pause for thought, Sasuke curled his long fingers beneath the hem of the black fabric, yanking it unceremoniously over her head before he disposed of it atop their rapidly growing pile. Sakura bit her full bottom lip, swollen from the force of his kisses and oh so pink as he stepped into her bubble once more; his hands sinking indulgently into her hair as he cradled the base of her skull with careful precision.

And then he swooped down once more, swallowing her keen of approval with tongue and teeth as he folded her further against him; until the back of her legs collided with the base of one of the bed's mattresses.

Shocked out of their increasing fluster, both sets of eyes were drawn to the offending object, implications all too clear as they locked gazes once more; Sakura shy, Sasuke unsure. Was this really okay? Gnawing on her bottom lip had become an unshakeable habit, she knew, but this time there were no doubts in her mind. Gathering all of her gusto, Sakura took that final step back, sitting down on the rickety contraption as she looked up at him with beseeching emerald orbs.

She smiled carefully, hands coming to rest upon his narrow waist as she urged him forward with quiet yearning. Irresolution filled Sasuke's countenance, but he settled astride her, cupping her face with tender conviction before he sunk down to her level once more, sealing their lips cautiously as they regained their momentum. Sakura's fingers sunk into the soft material of his streamline cargo pants, hooking themselves beneath the low hem as her body arched up to meet with his warmth.

The raven haired Uchiha's knees buckled at the feeling of her sneaky little fingertips snaking their way into his slacks, and the molten heat pooling in response in his groin summoned hot tingles in the core of his being, which scattered all across his skin. He rested awkwardly atop her, now, toes straining to hold his weight as his knees pressed into the surface of the mattress. Buoyancy was thus difficult to maintain, even more so now that the insides of his thighs were brushing against her own.

When Sakura sucked his top lip between her pearly whites, Sasuke voiced his approval with a strangled, guttural groan that sent an electric spark straight into the source of Sakura's growing frustration. She shifted impatiently, rubbing her legs together in her search for satisfaction as she tugged on her love's chin-length locks, pulling him ever closer even as they broke apart for air. Breathing ragged, the rosette ran her hands over his scalp, brushing over his forehead before she parted the impetuous length of hair that covered his left eye from her view.

Sasuke visibly flinched, closing the offending eye as if it were rigged to kill upon sight.

Sakura saw the fear of rejection lingering on his features, even as he attempted to school it back into neutrality, and she felt her heart constrict a little tighter in her chest in response.

Bracing his face between open palms, Sakura murmured softly, so sweetly that Sasuke's own heart fluttered, "Please don't hide from me, Sasuke-kun. You can't hurt me. You _won't_ hurt me. Please… believe in me. I love _everything_ about you. I love _you_. Let me show you."

He was tense, but his posture soon opened up to her alongside his eye, the violet iris hypnotic in its depth and beauty. Sakura inhaled sharply. The only times he would willingly show that eye was when he was in the heat of battle, when his life and the lives of his comrades were at risk and the stakes didn't matter.

He had always been sensitive about it, not for its aesthetic value but for the danger it posed, and when he was in a heightened emotional state, he was always more susceptible to losing control of its power. What frightened him more than anything else was hurting Sakura, this precious, wonderful, unconditionally irreplaceable woman that he loved so dearly that it hurt. After all that he had put her through already, he knew he would never forgive himself if he ever put her through something so horrific again.

But as she looked up at him, eyes brimming with a sea of raw emotion (that he had learned with time was identified as love) and face filled with wondrous awe, he knew that he could never hurt her.

Would never hurt her.

She leaned up, brushing her lips against his fluttering eyelid as she pressed tender butterfly kisses all over his face. He smiled softly to himself, eyes hooded as he focused his intense gaze on her jittery form. Sakura squirmed in place once on the receiving end of his brooding bedroom eyes, her lips slowly leaving his cheek as she looked back at him with a meek expression.

He was everything.

She was everything.

That much was clear to both of them.

The where and the why ceased to matter; this moment, it felt right.

Sore as they both were; covered in dirt, mud and sand; drenched in rain and dry perspiration; no matter how plain and boring her underwear was—none of that seemed to matter anymore. It almost seemed foolish that their expectations had been any different, for there was nothing more perfect than there and then, than the two of them. What else could they have needed to validate this?

Inhaling to calm her now frantic nerves, Sakura entwined her fingers with his, eyes never leaving his as Sasuke fully straddled her hips. He left her breathless with a trail of searing kisses against her temple, cheeks, jaw and chin, before he dipped lower; lips finding purchase on her pulse point whilst his hands slid around her delicate frame, palming the cool flesh with hands that burned with the desire to touch her bare.

There was a sharp stinging at the base of her throat, but it was quickly soothed by a temperamental tongue, and that same delicious throb ached its way into Sakura's core. Her mouth fell open in a gasp when, seemingly out of nowhere, the clasp to her brassiere came undone. It seemed that Sasuke had left her a love bite as more than just a means of adding to her pleasure, as she had not expected him to have been so dexterous when he was clearly so distracted with making her hot and bothered.

Expression carefully composed, Sasuke gently pressed his open palms against her shoulders, the thin straps of her plain black bra slipping off of them as he lowered her onto her elbows against the pillows.

Chest heaving with heavy breaths, Sakura shuddered at the sheer intensity of his gaze, cheeks turning pink for reasons beyond fluster as his beautiful body settled over hers; his back arced sinuously in his straddle as he left goosebumps in his wake against her thrumming flesh. He looped his fingers in each of the worn straps, a touch of hesitation flittering across his face as he looked into her eyes for confirmation.

The pinkette let out a sweet sigh, sinking back into the cushions as she placed her hands atop his.

They were calloused and warm and so very tender to the touch, and Sakura yearned for them to be wrapped around her body forever. Without so much as a blink or a stuttered exhalation, Sakura slid them down her arms, Sasuke moving in time with her seductive sweep as the material made its descent down her breasts, pink nipples hardening as the support mechanism was trailed over them.

It didn't help that it was cold; that she was wet; or that her lover was staring at her so intently, with eyes filled with an awed kind of lust that had her sex pulsating agonisingly beneath drenched cotton panties, and that was what raised Sakura's mortification to a new level of embarrassment. She sucked in a breath, biting her lip as Sasuke took her in, his first impulse to press his own torso against hers.

He did so, sealing her lips with a kiss that left no room for protest, and found himself hissing into her mouth when her hardened peaks rolled against his own as she wrapped her legs around his hips. Her thighs, warm and corded with muscle, gripped his sides firmly, keeping him rooted in place even when he knew there was nowhere else he'd rather be right now. If his arousal had not been evident to her before then, Sakura now had solid confirmation of it pressed firmly against her navel, her heart jumping into her throat as he pinned her hips down with his.

It was exquisite, nothing but pure sensation as Sasuke trailed his hands between them, emboldened by her writhing figure beneath him. He handled her with clumsy caution at first, hands practiced to hold weapons by the hilt and thus completely virginal to the territory they were currently exploring. Sensitive as they were to touch, Sakura found herself arching insistently against his calloused palms, the innocence of his touch awakening something deeply primal within her.

She knew nothing of such intimacy either, which made their eagerness to learn each other's bodies all the more inviting, and Sakura found her mouth latching onto his throat.

She needed to know if he was as affected as she obviously was. The chaotic thumping of his pulse against her insistent tongue was all the confirmation she needed. Sasuke groaned when he felt the pinkette's teeth grazing against his oversensitive flesh, and he rolled his fingers over her tender nipples in retaliation to her teasing. She moaned fervently against him, hips naturally gyrating heavenward in their search for friction as she retracted her lips from his shoulder, only to slant them over his a second later.

Sandals long since discarded, they were left in only their pants, Sakura's barely passing her kneecaps whilst his covered the full length of his legs. Still sopping wet, they were a sight for sore eyes; but irrespective of what others may have thought, the atmosphere was deeply laden with passionate yearning, and nothing could deter them now.

Sakura separated from him, only to sneeze a moment later; her hands flying up to cover her face as she blushed with every last drop of blood in her body relocating to her face. Sasuke chuckled, dark eyes endlessly expressive as he slid his hands down and over the slender curves of her waist, until they rested firmly against the beginnings of her problem. His lips parted then, his breathing slowing to match the sudden calm that had filled his mind.

"Are you sure…?"

"Yes." Her reply was firm and immediate, not allowing him room to finalise his question as she nodded her consent to him. She wanted this. Stopping was not an option.

Sasuke didn't hesitate.

With one deft swipe, he had peeled her last defence away from her, underwear and all, down and off her legs as she tilted her hips to help him in his endeavour. He threw the sopping material onto the floor, the discomfiting '_splat!_' of the wet garments making contact with the floor reverberating off the walls around them. He took a moment to _really_ see her, his lips parted in that breathless kind of reverence that only a man truly in love could foster upon their features.

Every inch of her, from top to bottom, was beautiful. He had never found the nude figure worthy of any such perusal back in the day, but how wrong he had been. Sakura was beyond any words he could formulate. From what he knew of the female body, bustier equalled better, but to him that was a crock of shit.

Sakura was by no means average, but she was no Hinata, and many men had compared the two according to this factor alone. Perhaps if they'd looked past the most prominent features of her physical body (for her mind and heart were treasures each in their own right), they would have seen the monumental lapse in their judgements immediately.

From the wide bearing of her hips to the full curves of her thighs, down to that unassuming juncture nestled neatly between them that beckoned his touch like a moth to the flame; all of her inspired a stronger tide of lust to wash over his senses, and the darkening of his inky irises only furthered this notion.

Sakura swore she would combust under the absolute intensity of his stare; his breathing had accelerated, if only marginally, and his pupils had dilated exponentially the more he drank her naked body in. She felt her feminine pride swell inside her chest as Inner Sakura busted out her pompoms and did a victory dance.

He liked what he saw, _a lot_. That much was more than clear to Sakura, inexperience with such matters aside. The rapidly hardening erection pressed against her inner thighs stood in testament to his want of her, and Sakura had to fight her girlish need to swoon as she tugged on the hem of his own pants.

The tension behind the movement was not missed by Sasuke, as he stiffened quite clearly. That lack of fluidity only increased when Sakura slid her right hand into his pants, past his briefs and into the heated depths within. He couldn't breathe, let alone think. And when she wrapped her cool fingertips around his hard length, he swore with such foul expletives that Sakura had flushed in mortification. He rarely did so, after all. He had been raised better than that. Before he could murmur out an apology, she gave a tentative squeeze; white spots flickered across his vision, and his hips pulsed into her waiting palm.

"_Fuck_…!"

Okay, so much for that.

Propriety flew out of the window, along with any sense of shame he may have felt at his lack of control over his body's impulses—and the inevitable sounds that were slipping unbidden from between his parted lips as a result of this loss of restraint. The tenuous curling of her small fist around him sucked the air out of his lungs, and he pressed his mouth against the inside of her right kneecap as she continued to support her own weight with her left arm.

Sakura adjusted her grip on his erection, giving an experimental jerk from the base to the engorged head that called forth a loud, guttural hiss from the depths of his chest. The very sound of it alone made her desperately wet, and she found breathing to be incredibly difficult. Panting, the pinkette pushed herself closer to him, half sitting now as Sasuke leaned forward to press feverish kisses to her puffy lips.

She melted against him, resistance a thing of the past as she folded him up in the natural cradle that her body provided for him. Using his broad shoulders as an anchor, Sakura raised her left arm and wrapped it around his neck, relying on his support as she continued in her quest to make him see stars.

Sakura often gnawed on her own bottom lip, so frequently that it had become one of Sasuke's greatest (secret) weaknesses; so naturally when she took his between her teeth and bit down, he crumbled and came undone. The pink haired kunoichi swallowed her surprised gasp as Sasuke's arms lost their ability to hold him up, and the two of them fell back against the mattress, her head smacking into his hands as his forehead collided with hers. He was clearly embarrassed by his loss of control over his motor cortex functions, the slight darkening on his cheeks ripping a gleeful laugh from Sakura's chest as she wound her fingers through his inky black locks.

He smiled, the expression vulnerably honest as he pressed his lips against the purple diamond nestled in the centre of her forehead; with that, Sakura's giggles died down, a breathless sort of attraction ceasing her mirth and instead replacing it with nervous jitters.

_Wow_. This was happening.

His eyes spoke volumes, the silent question going unanswered as he gently cradled her right wrist in his palm, prying her hand from the depths of his pants before he settled them over the hemline itself. With his artificial arm curled beneath her halo of pink hair, only their right hands were free, and so Sakura steeled herself—before she trailed her left hand down his pectoral, ribs, waist, until they stopped at his blind side.

With that she pushed the fabric down as far as she could manage, his briefs sticking to both his skin and his slacks and thus making her job… awkward. Her cheeks, once smooth with concentration, lit up with colour the more she struggled to strip him. Sasuke's amusement was palpable, the devilish twist to his lips not helping in keeping her focus on the task at hand as he attempted in vain to withhold his urge to laugh.

A breathy chuckle was all she received for her efforts, before Sasuke peeled his damp skin away from hers, curling his spine in a strong arc as his hands helped hers to tug his pants down his thighs. Cold air nipped at his wet flesh as he exposed it inch by agonising inch, and he nearly groaned when it made contact with the throbbing heat between his legs. It was a bittersweet kind of agony.

Because he was on his knees, it was impossible to slip out of the sodden clothing without falling onto Sakura again, and so with a magnificent twist of his hips, Sasuke flipped back onto his rear, his exasperation all too clear on his face. Sakura laughed girlishly, cheeks flushed prettily as she sat up to help him out of his final obstacle. The raven haired Uchiha smirked when her green eyes trailed a little too far up his corded thighs, her curiosity getting the better of her even as she yanked the drenched material over his ankles and off of his feet.

He was rewarded with the sight of her spine-tinglingly erotic lip-bite, and his eyes fell closed briefly as he composed himself.

Sakura let out a shaky breath. Nervous excitement bubbled beneath her skin as she took him in. He was magnificent, every scarred inch of him, the softness of his complexion reawakening the urge to be pressed to him as she reached out to cup his face between small palms. Sasuke's mismatched eyes flickered open, Sakura's pretty face staring back at him as she pulled him toward her, the sight of her rosy nipples in his peripherals enough to raise every hair on his body in excitement.

She slowly sunk back into the pillows, eyes lidded as she gazed up at him through wet eyelashes. An indescribable emotion filled Sasuke at the sight, something so raw and fragile that he was afraid for the first time in a long time. Sakura was sharing something so profoundly intimate with him, something that although he knew he didn't deserve in retrospect, meant the world to him, and he knew then that he would never love anyone nearly as much as he did her.

He rested his weight on his forearms, his left hand prying her right from his cheek before he linked their fingers together above their heads. Sasuke kissed her on the tip of her nose, a mischievous smile settling on his lips as he trailed his remaining hand down her body. Over her closest nipple, eliciting a very loud moan of approval from the squirming pinkette; down her ribcage, which had always been hypersensitive to tickling; across her hip, before he paused, uncertainty lining the depths of his darkened irises.

From what little he had gleaned from his education and from his one-sided conversations with Naruto and Kakashi—both of whom did all of the talking while he merely suffered in mortified silence—preparation was key. Women who had not engaged in intercourse at any stage in their life were prone to bleeding and pain their first time regardless of whether or not they were ready for it, and Sasuke wanted to prevent that from happening at all costs.

He had hurt her enough.

Something as special and significant as this was not going to be ruined because of his impatience. Sakura felt her heart swell at the clarity of his inexperience, his not knowing how he should proceed tugging at her heart strings as she gave the back of his neck an encouraging and affectionate rub.

"Nothing that you do from here is wrong, Sasuke-kun. Please don't worry." Her voice was husky and sweet, and the change surprised them both. Neither had heard such a change in her before, and Sasuke's eyebrows rose in astonishment as Sakura flushed scarlet.

If she sounded like that when he hadn't even touched her yet, he could barely fathom how her voice would echo when he finally did. Finding the nerve he needed, he pressed his way between her thighs, long fingers curious in their exploration as he opened her up to his touch. The slippery heat entrenched there roused both of their voices; Sasuke groaned softly, Sakura finding her volume as she cried out without restraint, her head lolling back into the cushions and leaving her pale throat exposed for his perusal.

He nipped at the pallid flesh, the muscles and arteries contracting under the practiced touch of his tongue as Sasuke made a show of running his fingertip in gentle circular sweeps against the twitching protuberance at the crest of her sex. Sakura's legs fell away from his sides, her hips jerking up against his hand as he cupped her wet flesh with calloused precision.

Given how soft and sensitive she was, Sasuke took care to apply only light pressure to her weeping slit, but that was all she needed.

Her mouth fell open, and Sakura found breathing impossible between her gasping moans and desperately incoherent calls for completion. She ached and burned with longing that was all-consuming, and her hips matched his sporadic ministrations admirably. Sasuke felt the force of her fingers gripping his artificial hand vibrate up the false limb, and as he ran his tongue up her throat to meet with her chin, his hooded eyes observed the whiteness of her knuckles as she clung onto him for dear life.

"Sa—haaaaah—ah!" Sakura, amidst mumbling his name beneath her breath, broke off when orgasm slammed into her with startling swiftness, her entire body swimming in sensation as her thighs came back to squeeze his sides between them.

The rapid pulsations of drenched flesh against his fingertips acquainted Sasuke with the feeling of her coming undone for him, and he felt a hot curl of heat unfurling in his gut. His erection throbbed painfully, a reminder of his desire for her, and he had to remove himself from her for a moment. Her nipples were rubbing his chest raw, her curves were clinging sensually to his torso, and the pooling warmth that coaxed his entrance into her being was lost amidst rapid spasms.

It was all too much to process at once.

He had never been so flustered before in all of his life, and it was quickly overwhelming his common sense.

Sakura panted harshly, biting her lip as she melted into euphoria for a moment more, her green eyes dark with lust as she searched Sasuke's discomposed features; watching them shift into acceptance. He knew that his mind could not prevail over his body in such an instance, and for the first time in his young life he let go of that compunction for total domination over himself.

So that he could lose himself in her.

It was difficult for him to describe in words, the feeling of becoming whole again in her arms, but it was at the forefront of his existence as he arched over her—casting dark shadows over her naked skin as he settled in the most natural position he could over her trembling body.

Her eyes glowed luminously in the fading lamp-light, its life flickering to its demise as they were submerged in fractured darkness. The moon was buried behind black storm clouds, and no moonlight could penetrate through the overhead window. They were breathing in tandem, surrounded by natural darkness, and as their eyes readjusted, Sakura slowly realigned herself so that her hips cradled his own.

Sasuke couldn't help but think that she looked beautiful like this; his shadows, his internalised sins, staining every inch of her, and brightened with a brilliance that summoned tears to his eyes. She made everything in his cold, desolate world shine with the clarity of diamonds in the sunlight. For a single decadent moment, his past afflictions ceased to exist.

It was just him, and her. Them. Together.

She smiled with all the love she could muster, pressing a kiss to his jaw before she nuzzled against his cheek, burying her face in his shoulder as the heat rose in her cheeks. The distinct ridges of his hard length brushed against her most sacred place, and she moaned lowly and keenly into the shell of his ear, guiding his solid erection to its rightful place at her slippery entrance.

A shuttered exhalation left both of their lips as Sasuke sunk into her, muscles that neither of them were familiar with naturally fluctuating to accommodate for his slow intrusion. Beads of sweat formed on Sasuke's forehead as he withheld the urge to plunge down with all his might, settling for an agonisingly slow burn as he filled her to the brim.

When their pelvic bones were pressed together in that suggestive manner that made many blush upon sighting it, he knew that he had succeeded in joining them together properly.

Sakura's forehead wrinkled into a slight grimace as she adjusted to his girth; it hadn't hurt like she had been told so profusely by Ino and Hinata. In fact, her expectation had been of unbearable pain ripping her down the middle, but she was left pleasantly surprised when she only felt mild discomfort; it was more the strange stretching sensation that was giving her grief. A numb kind of tingling began to spread within her, and when he finally rocked his hips timidly against her own, electricity sparked within the apex of her thighs.

Her neck went limp, head a weighty burden to her slack muscles as her mouth fell open; a gratified moan left the recesses of her throat, her fingers leaving crescent moons on his shoulder blades as she jerked spastically against him.

Sakura reaffirmed her grip on his left hand as her hardened nipples left scorching tingles in their wake against Sasuke's skin; their bodies were flush, every inch touching as perspiration began to form between them. Sasuke cupped her cheek with his spare hand, wiping a stray tear away from the corner of her eye with his thumb as she stared back at him in wonderment.

The psychedelic lavender of his left iris raised the hairs on the back of her neck, a sharp jolt of pleasure washing over her as she pressed her forehead to his. He tucked his hand beneath her head, fingers drowning in damp pink tresses as he slanted his mouth over hers; swallowing her loudest gasp of excitement yet as he thrust down particularly hard.

The wet warmth that rooted him in place was creating a fog over his brain, no coherency in his thoughts as he rocked his hips in time with hers; establishing a working rhythm was harder than he thought. He wasn't used to exerting his body in such a fantastically awkward fashion, and the ecstasy that accompanied it did nothing to dissuade this; both could clearly feel their naivety with every sporadic thrust of their hips against one another.

Their lips parted, and Sakura struggled to find purchase on something that would keep her in that beautiful moment, because she was quickly tiptoeing towards heated climax, and her nerves were practically standing at attention.

"_Sasuuukeee-kun_, ohhhhh…!" She exhaled his name like a prayer to some higher being, exalted and adored, her toes curling into the sheets beneath them as she squeezed his sides with her upper thighs.

The feeling of rippling musculature against her sweaty flesh and his laboured breaths, coupled with his deft, almost sloppy kisses against her cheek, jaw and shoulders, set her womb ablaze, and she fell over the precipice—her surprised moan long and loud as she cradled the back of his neck with shaky fingertips.

He pressed a hard kiss to her little diamond, his skeleton nearly rattling beneath his flesh as the molten heat in his gut spilled over in a broken echo of her orgasm. She continued to twitch and spasm in delight around his softening member, her gasping breaths ragged as she kissed him beneath his closest eye. Sasuke went limp, barely catching himself as he lowered his head gently onto her bared breasts, leaving a hot kiss against the flat plane between them as he caught his breath.

He was sated in a way that he had never experienced before.

Tired, but incredibly content, a warmth he hadn't felt since he was a small child in his mother's, brother's, father's arms filling him until his eyelids drooped with weariness.

He felt safe.

He felt loved.

Sakura gently loosened her grip on his artificial hand, folding both of her arms around and behind his head as she stroked his sweaty locks tenderly, her breathing slowing to match his own as exhaustion settled within her for the night.

Sasuke's left arm slipped beneath her, right hand cupping her hip as he lulled them both to sleep with the small arcs of touch from his calloused thumb against the smooth skin located there.

There, with the sound of rain crashing down around them, they slipped into inertia, never loosening their hold on one another for a minute.

* * *

Soft rays of light filtered in through the nearby window, and Sakura stirred, her slumber disrupted by the gradual brightening of the room. Her brow furrowed in response, lips forming an unhappy pout as she shifted her weight onto her side. The warmth of a large hand tracing over her features, however, wiped the cloying mist of fatigue from her eyes as she allowed them to flutter open.

She took a moment to adjust to the evident change of position since last night; her left arm was resting quite comfortably over Sasuke's toned stomach, and her head was cushioned on his left shoulder. Groaning at the tension in her stiff muscles, the pink haired kunoichi raised her head, still lying against her lover's warm skin as she met his tender gaze.

Both of his eyes were visible to her, to her surprise and absolute pleasure, and his expression was more relaxed than she had ever seen it be before.

A smile played on his lips as he continued to run his fingers over her arm, breast, rib and hip, before he repeated the cycle in reverse. Sakura smiled shyly up at him, a dusting of pink settling on her cheeks as she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun." Sakura murmured sweetly, green eyes completely devoted to drinking in the delicious sight of his profile as he stared back with equal fervour.

"Hn. Morning, sleepyhead." Sasuke responded with a humoured smirk in her direction, brushing a knotted strand of hair from her face as he looked down at her with distinctly mussed up hair.

Sex hair. Yum.

Embarrassed that he had been watching her oversleep, Sakura buried her face in his scarred shoulder, cheeks burning as she whined into the depths of his skin.

"Mou Sasuke-kun, don't be mean first thing in the morning! It ruins the mood!" He laughed in the face of her petulance, deep and guttural as his head fell back against the pillows, and Sakura peeked up at his bright expression with a touch of awe. He looked so unbelievably happy that a huge grin stretched across her face as well, and she found herself giggling alongside him.

Mirth apparently spent, Sasuke's head rolled to the side, so that he was looking straight into her face against his shoulder, his dark eye expressive whilst the lilac iris was eclipsed by slowly spinning tomoes. There was a remnant of the heat they had shared the night previously lingering between them, that same magnetism bringing their faces closer together as if by compulsion.

Sakura felt her breathing halt for a split second when Sasuke's nose brushed against hers, but she didn't have the chance to ponder on the reason why, as he had already leaned down, pressing a chaste kiss to her parted lips.

Butterflies wide awake and frothing like mad in her tummy, Sakura reciprocated, her eagerness leaving a sweet taste on both of their lips as she reached up and wound her fingers through his hair once more.

It was soft, but matted with sleep and sweat, and it stood as solid confirmation of what they had done.

Unadulterated joy exploded in her chest.

Now, every inch of her belonged to him—and every inch of him was hers to keep and treasure forever as well.

And as he wrapped her up in his embrace once more, Sakura couldn't have felt more complete.

_Finally_…

* * *

***.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.***

* * *

**Ending Remarks:**_ /Collapses in an inelegant pile on the floor/_

_I TOLD YOU IT WAS LONG!_

_This was absolutely horrendous to write, I can't even begin to tell you. Talk about long-winded. I went into full waffle mode, but I had fun towards the end, so I thank you all for sticking this one out to the end. Please leave me a review! I'd love to break through 200 for this one, so send me some love for my labour! I worked as hard as I could to get this done for you all, so please make my day!_

_Also please feel free to check out my new story, Get With It. I would be interested to see what you think of it. (:_

_Until next time, whenever that may be!_

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	17. Crest

**Author's Note:** _What the fuck is wrong with FF lately? Seriously, my reviews aren't showing up in the browser page, and it's starting to irritate me. My thanks and eternal gratitude to those of you who left me a review regardless of this discrepancy! On with the show!_

**Playlist:** The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack. Simply sublime.

* * *

_**Melt the Mistletoe**_

* * *

**Seventeen:** Crest

.

_**Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura**_

_**Categories: Romance**_

_**Rating: K**_

* * *

Hot tingles skittered across the bared skin of Sakura's back, extricating the drowsiness from her mind as she danced with consciousness once more. It was early in the morning, the soft rays of daybreak filtering in through the cracks in her curtains and casting a warm glow around the room. Eyes bleary with fatigue, the pinkette shifted her weight, rolling over—straight into the waiting arm of her dark haired lover.

None of the tiredness Sakura felt was evident on Sasuke's handsome face; he looked fresh and alert, ready for a day of intensive training even when his frame was slack with contentment. Sakura bit back the urge to smile at the pensive look in his mismatched eyes, instead settling for pressing a chaste kiss to his bare chest as she curled her right arm over his muscular abdomen. His breathing was deep and even, pulse slow and indicative of his comfort as he gazed down at her with a soft smile quirking upon his lips.

"Morning." He murmured quietly, voice resonant and raising the hairs on the back of her neck as it registered in her foggy brain.

"Mm. Morning, Sasuke-kun." Sakura whispered back sweetly, her naked limbs entwining themselves with his as she sunk into further into his warmth. Resting her head against his shoulder, she indulged in his closeness as she felt inertia pulling at the corners of her eyes despite her desire to see the morning through with him. She sighed, her body molding around his as relaxation loosened the tension in her stiff muscles; Sasuke allowed the transition, more than happy to humour his sleepy lover as he settled against the plush cushions at the head of her bed.

With how often he slept over, it wouldn't have been farfetched to say that they, along with the bed itself, were partly his as well. Sakura now made the bed accentuating his place alongside her, layering the pillows for two people instead of just dumping them in an artful mess above the duvet cover, anticipating his arrival like a dutiful spouse. His heart fluttered at the thought, his attempts to prevent his smile all in vain as he gazed down at the mop of silky pink that spilled over his shoulder.

Sakura had dozed off, her breaths gradually deepening the longer he found himself staring, and her easy demonstration of absolute bliss softened the hardened edge in his intent gaze.

She was so, so very beautiful, and his heart was grabbed in a vicelike grip as that familiar prickling of molten heat filled his chest. The feeling, once foreign, could now be identified. It was love. And the more he found himself watching her sleep, so innocently and without compunction weighing her down, the more profoundly he felt it. He was not ashamed to admit that he was completely enamoured by her, with her. At this point, everyone in the village had noticed as well, surely.

All of her would-be suitors had stepped down in their attempts at wooing her for this exact reason; they could all see just how deeply Sasuke had fallen into her spell, and they had no desire to compete with the only man she had ever had eyes for. Especially considering the violent threat he posed to them as a member of the once prestigious Uchiha clan.

Without really thinking about it, his right arm slipped around her lithe frame, his fingertips running against the naked flesh in tender arcs reminiscent of spheres. He had discovered that he had a habitual routine of tracing the silken texture of her skin whenever she was unawares, as it put his heart at ease and aided in grounding her presence alongside him whenever he felt particularly lost in memories of the bitter past.

_Up, over, around, across, down; up, over, around, across, down. _

The notions were soothing, for the both of them, as soon he found himself tangoing with the Sandman himself. He glanced briefly at the clock on the wall across from them. 6:04a.m. He had time for a quick siesta. As fast as that thought had occurred to him, he was gone; cradled in the comfort of coming home once more as he joined Sakura in dreamland.

* * *

When Sakura awoke, it was twenty past nine, and Sasuke was gone. No residual warmth clung to the twisted sheets beneath her, meaning that he had left quite some time ago. Disappointment unfurled unhappily in her tummy. She had wanted to make them breakfast, but it seemed that she had missed her chance to do so. Exhaling with a stubborn pout, Sakura stretched herself out like a cat, the delicious cracking of her joints returning to functionality bringing a smile to her face irrespective of her dark mood.

She had always enjoyed this part of waking up the most.

Kicking off the thick blanket, the pinkette slid off of her mattress, the nippy winter air seeping into her naked flesh as she fumbled for her warmest robe.

When she couldn't find it amidst the scattered pile of clothing on the floor, she quickly slipped on the closest thing to it; which happened to be one of Sasuke's long-sleeved shirts. It was huge and baggy on her tiny figure, which drowned in all of the thick material; its length falling down to her kneecaps and well over her fingertips. Never the less it was warm and drenched in his heady scent, and Sakura lifted the too-long sleeves to her nostrils so that she could inhale him more deeply.

It was strange to think that this piece of cloth, a veritable dress on her, was form-fitting on her lover, only standing in testament to how much he had grown up.

Her cheeks grew hot at the memory of the night before as she gathered their scattered clothing from the carpeted floor, intent on putting some much needed washing on. Slipping on her fuzzy slippers, Sakura sidled down the hallway, shuffling into her walk-in laundry room as she set to work on getting their garments clean. Half way through separating her pile, she paused, fingers sinking indulgently into the soft material of one of Sasuke's casual t-shirts. It was black and well-worn, the Uchiha crest emblazoned loudly and proudly on the neck of the light fabric.

The crimson and white fan stood out starkly on the dark shirt, and Sakura felt butterflies flitter to life in her stomach the more she looked at it. It would be foolish for her to deny her yearning for more; to be able to wear this crest and call it her own outside of borrowing Sasuke's clothing to cover herself up after a night of heavy passion. To be called upon as more than just the lucky girlfriend by envious onlookers.

She wanted to wear his clan's colours because _he_ wanted her to.

Smiling fondly, Sakura's fingers traced the emblem, green eyes swimming with a warmth that only he could summon within her.

_Up, over, around, across, down._

_ Up, over, around, across, down. _

Sakura reeled with a sense of déjà vu, the area between her shoulder blades tingling as she followed her movements with wide eyes. Up the white base; over the red top; around the remaining side; across the midline dividing the two sections; down the stem of the crest. Her skin burst alight with recognition, even as Sakura's mind, analytical to a fault, denied it with every fibre of her being.

_No way… It's just a coincidence, nothing more. _

Shirking the ridiculous notion from her musings with a taut shake of her head, Sakura dropped the material into the washing machine without another glance; shutting the lid and switching the load on. The sound of rushing water, and the beeping of the device coming to life, placated her frazzled nerves, and she returned to her task of tidying up her apartment as she awaited Sasuke's eventual return.

* * *

The beginnings of dusk settled over Konoha, the festive joviality of the winter season kicking into full gear as Sasuke strolled down the busy streets. Lamp light illuminated his surroundings a brilliant orange, and its resemblance to Naruto's often times overbearingly infectious presence (in the sense that his happiness was bright and all-consuming, and it had rubbed off on the raven haired Uchiha even if he was quick to deny it) brought a smirk to his face.

Shaking his head as he passed Teuchi's Ichiraku Ramen Restaurant—the phantom echo of the bubbling blonde's boisterous voice exiting the successful establishment and pervading his sensitive ears—Sasuke stuffed his sole hand into his pants pocket, the empty fluttering of his long left sleeve a painful reminder of what he was missing.

Never the less, it did not bother him. It was a reminder of what he had accomplished, and what he had gained, and thus in a way he considered it his lucky charm. Thoughts of a smiling pink haired kunoichi danced behind his eyes, and he smiled softly to himself. After the mission he had had that day, he was eager to return to her side. It had been tedious, but quick to deal with, and he had returned with haste so as to not worry his lovely girlfriend too much.

Taking longer strides, Sasuke ramped up his already hasty pace, shoulders taut with tension as he weaved his way through pedalling shop owners and drunken lovers stumbling about in every direction. He stepped onto a side-street, frame hunched against the sharp breeze that blew through him as he made his way towards the apartment complexes at the heart of the village. The welcoming glow of her lights shone like a beacon on the downtrodden stone of the walkway, and Sasuke hastened his pace once more, anticipation unravelling in his gut as he climbed the stairs that led to her home.

To the place he called home.

The door was unlocked, as if in answer to his internal ponderings, and it seemed to say 'Welcome home' as he stepped into the entryway. Warmth radiated throughout the cosy open living room, and it had nothing to do with her heating system. A pair of clothes horses were set up where the coffee table usually sat, a mixture of his and Sakura's attire strung over the steel rungs as they hung out to dry. It was evidence that he lived more presently in her apartment than his own, and he wondered idly when he had last been there.

He smiled.

With the way things were currently, it looked like he wouldn't be needing it anymore, even when he desired his own space. Sakura was more than understanding, after all, of his need for personal time, and left him to his own devices whenever she noted that distant impression in his face and eyes.

And if he were to be completely honest, he could not see himself without her; the thought of waking up without her warmth or her dazed smile made him frown, and the unpleasant burden that settled in his stomach as a result of such instances, where he woke up alone, reminded him that he missed her. He couldn't bear to part from her, just as much as she couldn't stand being separated from him.

Sasuke distinctly heard the clattering of porcelain bowls being laid out on the table in the kitchen, and the smell of a home cooked meal wafted into his nostrils. His stomach growled in response.

He couldn't remember eating anything today, too preoccupied with Kakashi's task to have thought about such a small detail. Kicking off his ninja sandals, the raven haired Uchiha stepped up onto the wooden planks that led into the spacious room, and he followed the familiar sound that reminded him of his mother. He couldn't stave off the sense of bittersweet nostalgia that trickled into his heart at the thought, and he bit back the urge to cry with a deep inhalation. He would not taint those beautiful, precious memories with such negative thinking.

Sasuke stepped around the alcove leading into Sakura's kitchen, remaining in his place in the entryway as Sakura busied herself with laying out the refined spread of food she had made for the two of them. He felt his lips quirk when he noted that she was wearing one of his shirts—and not a lot else. The sleeves were far too long on her dainty frame, and thus she had rolled them up above her elbows and pinned them in place with what appeared to be a long length of ribbon. The swathes of black material dropped down to her kneecaps, and accentuated the smooth length of her legs beautifully.

But what Sasuke noted most strongly was the large Uchiha crest, resting quite happily against her scapula as she stood facing the sink; washing dishes and used utensils, apparently. His sole dark eye softened, his fingers unconsciously tracing the shape of it against his thigh.

_Up, over, around, across, down. _

Having had enough of idly standing by, Sasuke announced his presence with a kiss to the back of her neck, his hand coming to rest upon her hip as her head snapped up to meet his gaze; surprise brightening the planes of her face as she met his eyes with a gorgeous grin.

"You're back early, Sasuke-kun! Welcome back!"

"Hm. Sorry for keeping you waiting." Sasuke hummed with a smile meant only for her eyes as she turned and folded her arms around his waist. She could hear his heart thrumming softly against her eardrum, and her lips couldn't have broadened any further even if they tried. His stomach rumbling broke the comfortable silence that had settled between them, and Sakura pulled back to look at him with disapproving eyes as he fought back the urge to blush.

"You haven't eaten anything today, have you Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke averting his eyes to a place somewhere over her shoulder was all the confirmation she needed, and she proceeded to lecture him about how he was forging unhealthy habits and had to eat in order to stay fighting fit, all the while ushering him towards his seat at her dining room table. Sasuke passed her a fleeting glance once more as she turned to bring the rest of their dinner to the table. She wore his colours well, he mused with a smirk. Soon, he would have to make them a permanent stain against her back, and not just a fleeting dance of impatient fingers leaving his mark on her naked skin.

_Soon._

Up. Over. Around. Across. Down.

The makeup of his family's lineage would one day become hers. He was sure of it.

* * *

**Ending Remarks:** _I have two new kittens, raising my cat count to twelve! And all throughout writing this, they both wanted to contribute to this chapter LOL. I am amused. I hope this was enjoyable. I certainly loved writing it._

_Until next time!_

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	18. Redemption

**Author's Note:**_ I have too many feelings GAH~~_

* * *

**_Melt the Mistletoe_**

* * *

**Eighteen:** Redemption

**_._**

**_Categories: Adventure, Friendship, Romance (fluff is life)_**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura_**

**_Rating: K_**

* * *

Sasuke found redemption in her eyes. A strange thought to ponder indeed, and he often found himself shaking his head in exasperated wonderment as he observed Sakura's jubilant expression from the corner of his eye. He found that her exuberance brought with it a sense of lingering relief; the calm that filled the once bereft cavern of his chest bringing a tender smile to his lips as he continued down the arduous path ahead of them.

A smile that was always there in secret, and went happily unnoticed by the oblivious pinkette.

Sasuke preferred it this way. He had never much liked being the bearer of his own embarrassment, after all.

The relationship between them was a comfortable one; not quite within the realm of expectation as Sasuke found himself falling into her gravity a little more with every day that passed them both by. He knew that what they shared was certainly not platonic by any means; Sakura had proclaimed her love for him often enough in their youth for him to be hyperaware of her existence, and even now her affections hung in the air between them, just softened by the maturity of a grown woman.

Likewise, the raven haired Uchiha knew with a certainty that alarmed him that he cared more for her than he would ever like to admit. It wasn't a sense of shame that drove him to silencing his mounting clarity regarding his pink haired companion.

It was guilt, fostered from the flaming wreckage of his past insanity as much as it was in the wake of his realisation that he had done wrong by her. Sasuke felt like he didn't deserve her love, loyalty and unwavering devotion to him; even when it filled his heart with a pressing warmth to know that she still thought so highly of him that she could forgive and forget his cutting cruelty towards her.

She was so unbelievably kind and selfless, and he knew that in retrospect, he would never be good enough for her. The fact that he was all she had ever wanted in her life reinforced this feeling of inferiority. Nobody but Sakura could ever love such a monster as he with such painful conviction that Sasuke felt like he owed it to her to tread with caution around her heart.

He couldn't be the cause of anymore of her pain. It would kill them both. But never the less, his feelings were there, and they strengthened with every fleeting smile and every tentative glance she threw his way. The furtive nature of their discourse, while frustrating to most onlookers, suited them perfectly.

Sakura continued to dance around her feelings for him in the hope that they could still have some kind of relationship that would eventually bear fruit, whilst Sasuke withheld his urge to pin her against a tree and silence his reservations regarding her once and for all with the press of his lips against hers.

* * *

Sakura was still frothing with excitement at the very real prospect of travelling with Sasuke on his road to redemption. She remembered distinctly the moment he had approached her in her office at the hospital, draped in his usual garb for departure as he patiently awaited her undivided attentions.

He had been all too aware of how important her work was to her, and thus he made himself comfortable against the wall across from her prone form and waited quietly for her to finalise her small stack of paperwork with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Heart racing beneath her breast, the pinkette had done just that, pouring the last vestiges of her concentration into her job before she dropped her pen in relief.

_Finally done... I guess Sasuke-kun really is the best form of motivation I could have_, Sakura thought with a sweet smile his way, green eyes alight with joy as he sidled over to her desk.

His posture was as formal as always, but the relaxed stance he took when he sat down on the rim of her desk in front of her made her pulse stutter erratically in response. Mouth suddenly very dry, Sakura bit her lip, meeting his gaze with eyes that defied her mounting state of fluster as she parted her lips in greeting.

"Good afternoon, Sasuke-kun! What can I do for you?" Her tone was chipper, bubbling with absolute adoration as she faced her love with sparkling eyes. He always brought out the best in her. Fighting back a smirk, Sasuke levelled her with a stare that was so intense she began to squirm in her seat, her bottom lip a perpetual victim to her teeth as she gnawed on it with renewed vigour.

He also embarrassed her more than anyone ever could with but a single pointed gaze, and this was shown in the light dusting of pink that had settled on her cheeks and the dampened sheen that glazed over her eyes.

Sasuke shifted his weight, reclining a little more comfortably against the wooden table as he rested his sole palm against the grainy surface in order to support his regal slouch. His dark eyes swept around the small room, noting it's relatively tidy aesthetic before he returned his sights to the flushed woman before him, a masculine curl of pride unfurling in his gut as he took in her evident awe with quirked lips. Only Sakura could make internal combustion into an art.

Said pink haired medic straightened her posture when Sasuke's lips parted to address her, and she went rigid with shocked delight at the words that he uttered from within them.

"I want you to come travelling with me." His tone was inflectionless, but his dark irises were full of meaning, of a promise being met at last as he reached out to brush a strand of pink hair behind her ear. Her mouth fell open in surprise at his declaration, and when he tapped his fingers against the purple diamond in the middle of her forehead, in an echo of his last goodbye, heat erupted in every pore of her body.

Torn between falling into a mess of excited sobbing and throwing her arms around his neck in her fiercest embrace yet, Sakura merely grinned up at him, nodding irrefutably in favour of his offer of companionship.

"Of course I will! I'll go anywhere if it's with you!" Sakura exclaimed with vigour, her face the epitome of mortification as her words heavy implications dawned upon her. Sasuke raised a trim eyebrow in her direction, leaving her a breathless puddle of abasement as her hands flew up to cover her mouth. She had this terrible habit of babbling inanely and endlessly when she was nervous, and it was amplified a millionfold when in the presence of her renegade love.

She had barely survived previous encounters not dissimilar to this, where she had said something ostentatious and a little forward regarding her not so secret feelings for him, and nearly crawled into a grave of her own making whenever he turned his amused expression her way.

The fact that he could now humour her affections, even in the name of comradery, made her heart sing with contentment, but in times like this she fervently wished that she had a brain to mouth filter. Because whenever she was around him, especially alone, she lost all semblance of control over her better judgement, and ended up making a fool of herself; much to his great entertainment.

"A-Ano, that came out—I mean—_crap_...!" Sakura mumbled under her breath, heat rising into her face as she averted her gaze to her fiddly hands, which were currently leaving biting indents in the wooden tabletop they were dancing upon. Sasuke chuckled heartily, expression endlessly amused as he flicked her on the forehead once again, the whites of his teeth peeking out from between his lips as she locked gazes with his once more.

"It's fine, Sakura. I know your intentions, although questionable at times, are mostly pure."

The pinkette's jaw dropped at the teasing quality to his tone, and watched in stunned awe as he tipped his head back and laughed outright at her frazzled countenance. Sincerity plagued his display of mirth, and Sakura couldn't help but admire the sweet quality that overtook his usually monotonous timbre with bright emerald irises that twinkled with utter adoration.

"Mou Sasuke-kun, don't be so mean!" Sakura mumbled her protest in the form of a petulant whine, and said man nearly doubled over at the look of consternation on her pretty face. Shaking off his hilarity with the brush of his hand through her hair, Sasuke cupped the back of her neck gently, eyes warm as he voiced his apology through tender touch.

"Right. Sorry. But I do mean it, Sakura." He tipped her face up by her chin, hand leaving a hot trail of goosebumps in its wake as he trailed calloused fingertips against her cheek and jaw, and he stared her down with eyes full of expectation.

"I want you to come with me this time."

Heart awash in a sea of raw emotion, Sakura could barely process anything that was happening, and could only nod dumbly in affirmation of his request. It was all a little surreal, really. She had always wanted him to take her along with him, if only to ensure that he stayed safe by her side, but now that he was giving her allowance—was asking her to join him of his own volition—to do so _willingly_ summoned frantic butterflies in her tummy.

"You know my answer even without having to ask, Sasuke-kun..." She continued meekly, her lips darkened with a rush of blood as she smiled up at him with all the sweetness she could muster. His heart jumped with a start, fluttering weakly in his chest as he stared down at her with a growing sense of dithering vexation. He had long since come to embrace the way she made him feel whenever she was within vicinity of him, but this was just ridiculous.

Sasuke hummed softly in response, his pleasure all too evident as he gazed down at her with a fondness that made her tingle all over.

"Aa. I've cleared it with Kakashi and Tsunade. You're free to leave now... If you're finished here, that is." Sasuke replied softly, the tenor of his voice rich with sentiment and deep in its luxuriousness as he fixed her with his implicit scrutiny.

Sakura's mouth remained agape at the suddenness of his proposal; she knew that he was due to leave today from the way in which he had dressed himself, but the fact that she was on such a short leash, although exhilarating, was a little terrifying. Gathering her wits about her once more, Sakura stood from her comfortable seat, pulling her hair into a ponytail as she cracked her aching joints with deft succinctness.

"I'll just... Um...!" Sakura began, halting in her speech when, as if on cue, Sasuke erected himself as well, becoming an impenetrable wall of rippling muscle that she promptly walked into. He scoffed in clear beguilement, lips twitching as she flattened her palms against the broad stretch of his stomach whilst she regained her footing.

"Get out of your hair and pack a few things...!" She was breathless with jittery nerves as his scent filtered into her nostrils, and she spewed out the first thing she could think of before she blushed even further at the burning urge she had to run her fingers through his dark locks.

Goddamn her lack of compunction!

And without sparing him another glance, Sakura raced out of her office, leaving him a bemused spectator to her mounting frazzle.

* * *

And thus here they were, several hours outside of the border of Konohagakure and bordering nightfall. The temperature had dropped significantly, summoning a chill that seeped through Sasuke's heavy cloak and into Sakura's bared flesh respectively, ripping a shaky groan from the trembling pinkette's lips.

It was usually quite warm even at night on the road leading out of town, but the closer they got to Sunagakure's border, the colder it seemed to get. Deserts were renowned for being a little nippy after sundown, but Sakura had failed to realise that it was worse now that winter was on its way.

She had never had the need to head out this way at this time of the year, after all. On envoy missions where she had been delegated as one of the key representatives of their village, she had only ever travelled during the day, and amidst summertime when it was a lot warmer. Now she was paying for her oversight, especially since she had not had the inclination to pack a jacket so close to winter. Shivering internally, Sakura sucked in a harsh breath. She was a strong woman that would not be beaten by the adversity that came with the bitter elements.

Soldiering on, the pink haired kunoichi matched even strides with Sasuke, who was unbeknownst to her observing her from his peripherals.

He took note of the stubborn set to her jaw, the determined glint in her glimmering eyes that were quickly being swallowed up by twilight, and the fierce jut to her steps as she swallowed her discomfort admirably; it brought forth a proud smile to his face, to see just how far she had come over the years. That irrespective of his absence from her life, she had persevered, and made herself into a person that no one dared to mess with anymore.

She was truly spectacular, and he had never been shy about sharing this opinion of her with everyone he knew, should she ever be brought up in conversation—most instances involving tipsy shinobi joking about mounting her and "_going down on that fine piece of ass_," and him promptly breaking their jaws for talking smack about his teammate.

Sasuke had to bite back the flare of violent rage that simmered to the forefront of his thoughts at those recollections. Honestly, men could be the vilest of pigs, and he was disgusted that he shared at least that one banal thing (being male) with them.

Shirking his unpleasant musings from his mind with a stiff jerk of his head, the raven haired Uchiha stepped into a sandy plane, the once grainy surface hardened and weathered into stone as his dark eyes bled into crimson and lilac. Vision clearing and enhancing in the din around them, Sasuke's stern gaze settled upon a deep alcove at the base of the sloping dunes, and he caught Sakura by the arm with careful fingers that soon wound around hers.

He could see that she was struggling to make out the path ahead of them, and the grateful, if not embarrassed, smile that she threw his way made his heart stutter once again.

"We should set up camp for the night." Sasuke murmured softly, his deep voice carrying in the quietude of dusk as he inclined his head toward the spot he had singled out. Sakura bit her lip, clearly about to refute his subtle invitation of rest with an argument about her being more than capable of toughing it out—she had endured far worse through her training with Tsunade alone—before her qualms were silenced by his authoritative stare.

"I'm not weak, Sasuke-kun. I can take it." She snapped tersely, her lip the epitome of petulance as it protruded in a childish pout that tore a chuckle from the depths of Sasuke's throat.

"I'm aware of that, Sakura. More than anyone else, for that matter. But it's been a long day, and we've covered more than enough distance for now. We need to rest." Sasuke reprimanded her curtness with cold hard logic, barely batting an eye as she tightened her grip on his palm.

She couldn't see a lot in this barren desert that made up the vast majority of their surroundings, and thus she held fast to the one person who knew their way. Sasuke took advantage of that fact by squeezing back just as fervently; reassuring her that he would keep her safe not just then, but in future weeks, months and years to come.

They settled down for the night by the brilliant blaze that had been summoned through the dark haired man's katon jutsu, the crackling of the splintered driftwood causing a comfortable silence to stretch between them as they huddled close together under the awning of granulated stone. And try as she might to stave off the cold's effect on her bared skin, Sakura couldn't help the chattering of her teeth even if she tried.

Sighing imperceptibly, Sasuke shifted his weight until he was standing once more, the pink haired medic's wide green eyes panicked by his sudden movement even as he unbuckled the top of his cloak with his sole hand.

And as unceremoniously as one could do so in such a situation, Sasuke plonked himself down behind her, pulling her back against his chest as he folded her up in the warmth of his makeshift blanket. He pressed himself against the cold wall, making himself comfortable as Sakura squirmed restlessly in his arm. She was clearly fighting back a devastating blush, but she was doing a terrible job of it, and Sasuke took the chance to admire her pretty features up close.

She really was quite attractive. She had discarded the childishness of youth, and matured into softened womanhood, her features sharper and her figure curvier than it had ever been as a girl. Of course, she still hid behind her clothing, which flummoxed him.

She had always kicked up a fuss about not being more like Ino as a child, had bemoaned her lankiness like it was an eternal state of affairs; but now that she had what she had always wanted, she continued to obscure it behind high-collared, baggy clothing? Sasuke didn't get it, but whatever.

He thought she was lovely no matter how she chose to present herself.

It just meant that, unlike Ino, she valued conserving her image, and that saved Sasuke the tedious trouble of having to kill the flirty men that flocked to her everyday. That was just an added bonus; the fact that the only man she would be around for the next few months would be _him_.

Heart in her mouth, Sakura sucked in a hasty breath, her lungs burning from holding it all in in the wake of his unexpected intimacy.

Well this was... _Awkward_.

They sat in tense silence; the crackling of wood crumbling within the core of their campfire echoing in a resounding thrum in the chilly atmosphere as the pinkette shifted in her place in front of him for the umpteenth time. It was hard to get comfy, after all, when the love of your life was the one holding you to him.

Sasuke_ 'tsked!' _softly, before he wound his right arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest, muscles rippling against the curvature of her spine as he settled himself once more.

Sakura's breathing hitched at the shock of heat that shot down her spine, spreading throughout her system as her body moved in tandem with Sasuke's even exhalations. His were easy and slow, and Sakura could practically feel the steady pulsation of his heart beating beneath his sternum as she sunk indulgently into his frame. She was finding relaxation next to impossible, and her cheeks were a perpetual stain of pink as she felt his radiant warmth seeping into her numb pores.

"Th-Thank you, Sasuke-kun..." Sakura stuttered quietly, her voice but a whisper of her usual confidence as she allowed herself a moment to inhale his heady scent. It was distinctly him, all masculinity and sweetness wrapped into a beautiful Uchiha container, and she couldn't help but lose herself and her ability to rationalise her situation the more deeply she settled into his embrace.

Sasuke hummed softly in response, fingers curling tenderly into her tummy and summoning a plethora of butterflies in her throat. Her tongue felt like it weighed a million tonnes, and it stuck to the roof of her mouth at the feeling of the raven haired Uchiha's fingertips brushing against her stomach.

"Don't worry about it." Was all he vocalised with regards to her show of gratitude, before he leaned further against the grainy wall behind him and settled in place for the night.

Sakura pulled her knees up against her chest, painfully aware of Sasuke's arm on her hip as she felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her. The flickering of orange flames, in the hearth of the makeshift fireplace, created a dazzling display that was almost hypnotic to Sakura's drooping eyelids; the sparking embers flickering at the edges of her consciousness as she allowed inertia, and Sasuke's sturdy hold on her, to rob her of her ability to remain awake.

Sasuke, always alert to the smallest of details, noted Sakura's drooping head as she fought to stave off sleep, and he smirked to himself. His hand slid up her body, brushing over her collarbones before he pulled her back until she was resting against his shoulder. By this point her bright green eyes were hazy with exhaustion, and she cast him a bleary glance as she nuzzled into his warmth.

He fell into the spell that her eyes cast whenever she looked at him that way (_with so much love and devotion that his heart soared with raw feeling_), and his chin nestled atop her head as she fell into a deep slumber in his arm.

He continued to hum softly, a tune that he distantly recalled Itachi singing to him as a young infant reverberating with implicit meaning in the depths of his chest as he tightened his grip on her imperceptibly. For once, thoughts of his beloved older brother did not bring him pain. He felt a tide of relief fill him to the brim as he ran tender circles against her bare upper arm, his dark eyes smiling as he gazed down at the mop of pink buried beneath his jawline.

In her hair, he saw hope.

In her smile, he found sanctuary.

In her arms, he knew that love was anything but a phantom of his past.

He bit back a chuckle at the weird turn his musings had taken, even as he acquainted himself with the feeling of her petite frame against his own.

Sasuke found it ironic, really, that he constantly sought the light in the goodness of the world he had helped to save; when in reality, Sakura stood as that very beacon of salvation itself whenever his eyes found hers amidst tentative rapture.

His fingers stopped in their careful caresses as she shifted against him, murmuring his name sweetly beneath her breath. He couldn't stop his smile even if he tried, and his fingers wrapped around her sinewy shoulder with renewed vigour.

There were many things in his life that he needed to atone for, but the one crime he sought to make up for more than anything else was the one involving this pink haired angel who had never given up on him, even when he no longer cared for himself or his existence.

He pressed his smiling lips into her rosy locks in the insinuation of a kiss; his dark irises glittering in the wake of dancing flames as he hid his pleasure with a secret stretch of lips, before he closed his eyes to the darkness around him.

She was his road to redemption, and he held fast to the belief that in and with her, he would eventually find his peace.

* * *

**Ending Remarks: **_Definitely gonna continue exploring their future exploits in more detail in future prompts. I just love the idea of Sasuke being a sweetheart and whisking her away from the competition for her heart LOL.  
_

_Please leave me a review! I'd love to hear your thoughts!_

_Until next time (whenever that may be)!_

-x-**R**_ i_ n-x-


	19. Shower

**Author's Note:** _As always, your reviews are much appreciated. Please accept my thanks in the form of another drabble._

* * *

**_Melt the Mistletoe_**

* * *

**Nineteen:** Shower

**.**

**_Categories: Humour, Romance_**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto_**

**_Rating: T (for language and implied sexual situations)_**

* * *

Sakura was in the middle of having her morning shower when Uzumaki Naruto, the self-professed-future-Hokage-in-training, burst into her bathroom; gravelly voice a vulture's screech that echoed alarmingly off of the tiled walls and forebodingly in her eardrums.

"_OH MY GOD_, SAKURA-CHAN!" Green eyes wide with panic, the pink haired kunoichi thrust her head out of the steamy dwelling upon which she currently resided within, her arms impulsively folding around the shower curtain as she wrapped it around her chest in an attempt to remain covered. This, unfortunately, was not the first time he had barrelled into her home without express permission, and nor was it the first time she had to deal with him barging in on her while she was wet and naked in her bathtub.

He had done enough peeping on her in her short lifetime to guarantee that he had caught an eyeful—or fifty-seven tactfully out of sight eyefuls—of her naked limbs dripping with soap suds and body lotion. Several not so discreet occasions upon which she had promptly beaten him into the ground for his impetuous perversion, veins throbbing with pent up wrath upon her forehead as she wiped down her bathroom with his blood and viciously torn attire. Her pink lips, flushed to match the darkening shade of her infuriated cheeks, parted with a greeting so malicious that Naruto visibly quailed in response.

Honestly, Sakura had _such_ a potty mouth!

It put his to shame a thousandfold, undoubtedly.

"What the fuck, _Naruto_?! Get the _hell_ out of my bathroom before I shove your head down my toilet and _drown_ _you in it_!" She hissed irately, bloodlust leaving her a little disconcerted as she watched with a mounting sense of satisfaction as the blonde backed away very quickly from said apparatus.

His bright blue eyes flickered between her, the object of his impending demise, and his terrified reflection in the misty mirror, before his mouth fell open in protest.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan! But this is life or death! It couldn't be helped!" Naruto placated her with arms that shielded his bronzed countenance from her fists, his expression a twist of absolute, full-blown dismay.

Sakura frowned.

As if it was even so dire.

"Don't be so melodramatic, you drama queen! What the _fuck_ could be so important that you had to _break into my apartment_ and _bust down_ my bathroom door—which you are paying for—you fucking _lunatic_?!" Sakura spat venomously, the cracking of her knuckles drawing Naruto another shade paler as he pressed himself against the vanity behind him.

Curse her and her scary, superhuman strength to hell and back!

Sputtering through his fear, Naruto straightened his posture, using the one name that always, without fail, caught Sakura's undivided attentions with wide cobalt eyes.

"It's teme! He's _gone_!"

Sakura stiffened, recoiling like she had been slapped in the face as she shifted her weight with growing fluster. Scoffing in a flagrant attempt at nonchalance, the pinkette rolled her eyes in his direction, biting her lip before she responded with a rather distracted tone of voice—a tone that Naruto found eerily suspicious as she settled her fiercest glower on him yet.

"Sasuke-kun comes and goes as he pleases, Naruto! You ought to know that by now!"

"Yeah, but not like _this_! He'd at least leave a message with one of us, right? And he was supposed to spar with me today, but he's nowhere to be seen! This isn't normal, Sakura-chan! What the hell happened?" Naruto rebutted her previous claim to indifference with emphatic determination, hands gesticulating wildly in every direction as he locked stern gazes with her.

It looked like he wasn't buying Sasuke's absence as another one of his secretive explorations around the world.

Dammit.

Sakura exhaled shakily, her cheeks darkening when a hand that wasn't her own reached around her and pulled the shower curtain back; revealing a damp, dark head of hair that towered over her own, and a gorgeous face flushed with more than just the heat of the running water.

There was a tense moment of awkward silence before comprehension dawned upon Naruto's features, and he openly gawked at the sight before him. Uchiha Sasuke, as naked as the day he was born and smug as hell, was **_in the shower_** with his precious Sakura-chan, who was also beautifully (_hideously, oh my god, fucking __**ew**__!_) nude and in the middle of drowning in her own abasement.

"...Naruto." Sasuke greeted the bombastic blonde he referred to as his best friend with an amused smirk tugging on his lips, his tenor dripping with a feigned casualness that made Sakura blush up to the roots of her hair as he rested his chin atop her head. She buried her face in her hands, anger lost in favour of unadulterated mortification as she felt her body sing with lust. His bared (_everything_) chest was pressed against her back, and hot tingles spattered across her skin as she felt the deep rumbling of his repressed laughter rattling her insides apart once and for all.

A pained, squeaky whine left Naruto's gaunt lips, his cerulean irises bugging out of his skull as he processed the very evident scene of morning tomfoolery unravelling before him with startling clarity. And more than anything, he wished he could be bludgeoned to death with it, because this was a horror story ghastlier than all of his worst nightmares rolled into one; a million levels more traumatic than anything his brain could ever begin to concoct, and he couldn't even begin to function rationally anymore.

Sasuke honestly looked like he was about to burst, his mirth escalating quickly into sadistic glee the more Naruto floundered about in his stupor, and Sakura discreetly elbowed him in the ribs when his remaining hand (the newly instated prosthetic that Sakura had been helping him to test out) dipped a little too low for propriety's sake.

"Mou, _Sasuke-kun_! Stop that...!" She berated him softly, her voice like a knife to the tension surrounding Naruto's crumbling existence, and almost as quickly as he had fallen into his shocked coma, he had snapped out of it. His mouth promptly fell open, spewing some of the most profane expletives Sakura had ever heard in her life in conjunction with some well-aimed curses at Sasuke's expense as he shook with the trauma of his unpleasant discovery.

"OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE, THIS IS JUST FUCKING _WRONG_! GROSS, GROSS, FUCKING _GROSS_ GUYS! KEEP IT IN YOUR PANTS, _URGH_—I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO WIPE AWAY THIS VISUAL, _FUCKING EW_ SASUKE! BURY YOURSELF IN A DITCH SOMEWHERE, YOU FILTHY PERVERT! GAH, _WHY_—MY POOR VIRGINAL EYES, _ARGH_...!" Naruto's octave rose several notches into tenuous heights, and he buried his face in his hands as he blindly thrust himself out of the room, his disgusted complaints loud, obscene and completely over-exaggerated as he literally ran for the hills of Konohagakure so he could scream his distaste from their vast and perilous heights.

Sakura cradled her face in her hands, her whole body one human-sized tomato as she blushed with every ounce of blood in her. Sasuke chuckled, his expression infinitely smitten with her display of maidenly embarrassment even when it was far from warranted; with the things that they had done in the past twelve hours, it was safe to say that she no longer had any entitlement to that claim.

He smirked, dark eyes glittering with hilarity as he withheld his urge to laugh aloud.

Fucking idiot.

Served him right for walking in on them in the middle of their morning shower.

"Ready for round three, _Sakura_?"

When all he got in response was a furtive nod between splayed fingertips and glowing pink cheeks, he really did laugh with every fibre of his being.

* * *

**Ending Remarks:** _I laughed more than I should have. Sorry, Naruto, for making you bear witness to your babies sexing each other up. xDD_

_Please let me know what you thought of this one!_

_Until next time!_

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	20. Quickie

**Author's Note:** _Writing for my husbando always brings me great joy. I don't think there is anything better, to be honest._

* * *

**_Melt the Mistletoe _**

* * *

**Twenty: **Quickie

**.**

_**Categories: Romance**_

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura_**

**_Rating: M (for smut)_**

* * *

**.**

Sunlight peeked in through the bedroom window, softened by the early hour and by the dark drapes that covered them as inertia broke from behind Sasuke's eyelids. His internal body clock having long since adjusted to the rigorous regime of his youth and adolescence, the raven haired Uchiha was wound tight with tension, and he idly wondered if this bad habit of his would ever be smothered into nonexistence.

He peered up from his face-plant with Sakura's pillows, dark eyes blearily settling on the clock on the nearby nightstand and falling closed in exasperation as he noted that it was quarter to six in the morning.

Utterly ridiculous.

For once in his life, Sasuke fervently wished that he could sleep as deeply as his pink haired lover, who was blissfully unaware of his plight as she shifted against him; her side was pressed against his own, and she was clearly enjoying the wonders of her personal dreamland as she buried her face into the dark satin of her pillowslip. Her breaths were even and peaceful, and Sasuke felt his expression soften into adoration as he contented himself with watching her sigh with serenity.

This quickly ebbed away when the distinct throbbing of his growing erection rippled up his spine and settled in a heated mess in his gut, and he groaned at the inconvenience of being biologically whipped by his hormones. His lips twisted with discomfort, and he seriously considered vacating the warmth of her bed in order to relieve himself of his aching problem in his routine morning shower, before he left to train. He _would_ have; had Sakura not murmured his name softly under her breath, visage glowing even in slumber as her pink lips parted with a sweet exhalation.

And just like that, every shred of compunction within him flew out of the window, and he rolled over her covered back, his lips a perpetual smile as he took in the Uchiha crest emblazoned on the back of his borrowed shirt against her petite frame.

Sakura moaned quietly, snuggling deeper into his warmth as he slipped an impatient hand beneath her stomach and trailed it down until he was thumbing the hemline of her very revealing undergarments.

Still very much asleep and oblivious to her boyfriend's wandering hands, Sakura failed to note that the spark of pleasure that spiked within the apex of her thighs was as real she was, thinking of it as nothing more than a very sensual dream—even as Sasuke rolled his middle finger against her covered clitoris and cupped her left breast with his remaining hand.

He kissed the back of her neck, pinching her nipple—sheathed inside of thin cotton—between finger and thumb until it quivered stiffly into erectness, and he heightened the friction of his palm against the sensitive folds of her sex with the kind of flourish that he had sorely lacked when their relationship had escalated into the sexual. The pinkette's hips twitched with sensation, and a trickle of pleasure filtered into Sasuke's eyes as he heard her groan almost inaudibly, pelvis pulsing against his fingertips compulsively as her brow furrowed in consternation.

When he grazed his teeth against her rapidly hastening pulse, Sakura's eyes fluttered open, hazy with sleep and confusion as a particularly sharp jolt of ecstasy unfurled in her tummy and dampened her thrumming slit indefinitely. Half asleep and drowsy as hell, the pink haired kunoichi took note of the ungodly hour with puffy irises as she absorbed the feeling of Sasuke's lips sucking on her straining carotid artery with blatantly obvious intentions.

She could feel it pressed against her ass, and her cheeks darkened even as she buried her face in her pillow; quickly berating her lover for waking her for a booty call with a voice muffled by dense material.

"Mou, S-Sasuke-kun…! Not now please! I'm t-try—_ah!_—trying—_nnnnnghhh!_—to sleep…!"

Her speech, glazed over with weariness, stuttered abruptly into a low keen of approval as he slipped her panties down to mid-thigh and touched her bare, her slick vulva tremoring at the raw sensation of his calloused fingertips making direct contact, and she unwittingly spread her legs a little further apart as he ran his index finger against her sweltering clit.

Her breathing deepened, coming out as harsh pants and hasty exhalations as he played with her most sensate anatomical addition with fingers that had learned her rhythms down to an art, her nipples straining against Sasuke's shirt as he rubbed the closest one into oblivion with his prosthetic hand. Sasuke pressed a scorching kiss to her shoulder, right hand slipping away from her wet walls—much to her great discontent—as he tugged her underwear down and over her right leg; leaving them to hang from her left kneecap as he yanked down his slacks and freed his aching length from its confinement.

"I know, baby. It's alright. You don't need to be awake for this." Sasuke muttered tenderly into the shell of her ear, smiling into her hair as he settled between her legs and parted her slippery folds with the head of his engorged penis.

Still dazed from her rude awakening and the sensory overload that was bringing her to her knees with desire, Sakura could barely process his erotic supposition as he roughly thrust into her from behind, her head jerking up from her pillow as she cried out in surprise.

That stunned stupor quickly morphed into decadent bliss, and she relished in the powerful rocking of his body against hers as he plunged into her dripping core with measured strokes of his gyrating pelvis.

Moaning loudly in the wake of a particularly deep plunge of his turgid length against her most sensitive place, Sakura pressed her forehead into the pillow, mouth open in a permanent gasp as she rolled her hips against the mattress beneath her in an attempt to create more friction. Euphoria exploded deep in her tummy, sparking hotly within her swollen clitoris with every hastening stroke of his cock within her moist walls, and her lithe frame lurched with the force of his body pulsating against her.

"Haaah—ah—_ahhhhhh_…!" Sakura mewled fervently, hissing in pain when Sasuke pinched her nipples through coarse material before he tugged insistently on her choppy pink locks; forcing her neck to crane back so that he could press a heated kiss to her puffy lips.

Saliva dribbled down her chin as he parted from her, dripping onto the dark material of the bedsheets beneath her as he entered her with a swiftness that had her seeing stars behind her eyes. Tingles danced across her sweaty skin, and she tried in vain to lift her hips to open herself up even further to his touch; but his weight bore down upon her indefinitely, and she could hardly reciprocate to the feeling of him rapidly filling her to the brim. Her cries rose an octave, and her lover noted the despairing quality to her tone as he glanced at her through his peripherals with mirth glittering in his dark irises.

Sakura shrieked in surprise when Sasuke removed his throbbing girth from within her, only to hook his arms around her thighs and flip her onto her back; legs spread as far apart as was comfortable for her as he plunged into her once more. The pinkette's cheeks were darkened with a burning blush that spread down every inch of her pale skin, and her eyes were wet with tears as he curled over her writhing frame and brought her to the brink of ecstasy with hard, fast and unyielding pulsations of his pelvis against hers.

Perspiration slipped down Sasuke's flushed cheek, dripping soundlessly against her deepening cleavage as his baggy shirt fell further off of her thin shoulders, and he ground out his pleasure with longer gyrations against her fluctuating walls.

"A-Aaaaahh, f-_faster_ baby, _pleeeeeaaasseee_…!" Sakura keened ardently, hands burying themselves in his damp tresses as she pulled him in for a heated kiss. Sasuke complied wordlessly, nose brushing against hers as he pushed into her with renewed vigor, the bedframe pounding against the wall and rattling loudly in her eardrums as they rocketed towards climax in a mess of slippery limbs and scorching kisses.

"Ohhhhhh _yessssss_—nnngghhhh!" The pink haired kunoichi sighed breathily, finding her momentum for orgasmic rapture and quickly coming undone for him with one final, fierce lunge of his hips; her ear-piercing wail of completion a dull thrum to her own ears as she focused on the tremulous pulsations of her sex quivering about the stiff ridges of his member.

He followed her a moment later, muscular physique going positively rigid as he spilled his hot seed into her womb, tremors racking his frame as he struggled to hold his weight above her.

Thankfully he didn't have to, as Sakura gently guided him to rest against her, his lips melting over hers in a rapturous kiss rich with adoration as they came down from their high. Her legs wrapped around his thickly corded waist, easing him even further into her warmth until his whole frame was unceremoniously draped over hers. Sasuke sunk into the natural cradle her body provided, slouching with a gratified sigh atop her as he pressed sweet kisses to the corner of her parted lips.

"I love you." Sakura whispered softly, nuzzling into his heat affectionately as he bowed down and sealed his lips over her resonant heartbeat and smiled tiredly into her cleavage.

"Hm. Love you more." He returned quietly, eyelids drooping with fatigue as he allowed her tender ministrations to lull him off into a peaceful slumber.

Sakura's head dropped back against the pillows once more, her green eyes sparkling with absolute bliss as she listened to the steady pulsation of his heart beating in sync with hers until she too met with inertia's embrace.

_What a way to start the day._

* * *

**Ending Remarks:** _I hope you enjoyed the spice! If you're looking for more delicious canon smut, please do check out my new oneshot _Honey, I'm Home_ and leave a review! I'd love your feedback guys!_

_Until next time!_

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	21. Fallout

**Author's Note:** _I'm so, so fucking tired at the moment. /loud sigh/_

_Fair warning guys: this is a rather heavy chapter in comparison to all of the others. I feel like, although I am enjoying the fluff and the smut, in order to develop this story further, I need to explore every facet of their relationship; even the unpleasant bits. Be relieved that I kept it so light (for all of those people reading this who know what my writing is generally like) in comparison to my usual stuff. Thanks for your reviews! Enjoy._

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**_Melt the Mistletoe _**

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**Twenty-One: **Fallout

**.**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura_**

**_Categories: Drama, Angst (hints of romance if you squint)_**

**_Rating: T (for language)_**

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**.**

Sasuke ducked in time to dodge the first blow.

Glass shattered with a resounding crackle against the wall he had been leaning against a moment beforehand, and he flinched from the proximity of the sound. His ears were ringing, blood rushing into his head until all he could discern was the rapid pulsations of his heart as he threw a bitter glare in the direction of his enraged attacker.

Haruno Sakura stood across the room from him, face flushed and contorted with rage as she stooped in her wrath, posture positively rigid with tension as she glared back just as intently. The raven haired Uchiha had honestly not expected such a volatile reaction from his pink haired lover. She usually held the jubilance of the sun in the palm of her hand, and had never once suffered from the urge to inflict physical harm on him—no matter how unhappy with him she may have been.

In retrospect, Sasuke knew he deserved it. He had expected it in the aftermath of his defection; but the pink haired kunoichi had left him reeling in legitimate surprise when all she did was tell him to shut his mouth because he was a stupid jerk as she healed him and wept into his shoulder.

His apology, as genuine and heartfelt as it could come considering his half-dead state, was all she had needed to hear to completely forgive him for his cruelty, and he continued to marvel over her selflessness to this day. The fact that she had continued to love him throughout all of the messy insanity that had been his life had stunned him beyond all feasible reckoning, but that was Sakura.

Infinitely patient, and endlessly forgiving—and he couldn't have loved anyone else more than he did her.

Which was why her outburst was so unexpected. He had merely assumed that she had discarded her negativity towards him after he had returned to the village, but clearly this wasn't the case; her ill-will had been bottled up for so long that it had finally reached its boiling point. The cap had blown off, and now she was inconsolable.

"Sakura! Calm down!"

Her incredulous green eyes widened at his stern tone, before they narrowed into vicious viridian slits that brewed with repressed anger.

"Don't you fucking tell me to calm down, _Sasuke_!" She spat venomously, dropping the affectionate suffix from his name as she clenched her palms into taut fists.

Said man swallowed inaudibly, anxiety leaking into his frame as he noted her stance shifting more towards a brutal offensive. One thing he had learned from watching her beat up Naruto was the fact that he never wanted to be on the receiving end of her monstrous strength. Ever.

"Where do you get off," Sakura continued, oblivious to the mounting sense of discomfort etching itself into the planes of her boyfriend's face as she stepped forward with a malicious thrust of her hips.

Sasuke's eyes took an unexpected detour, drinking in her curvy form with dark irises that flickered between burgundy and scarlet as he sensed her chakra spiking alongside her temper; and he quickly returned to scowling as she picked up the nearest projectile—an old and battered lamp that he secretly hated—and hurled it his way.

"Telling me that you're _leaving_ for another one of your little _expeditions_ when we're supposed to be _getting married_ in _three months?" _Her voice rose into a fevered shriek, eyes wet with tears as she burned holes into his cold countenance and slammed her fist through the nearest wall; he watched with morbid fascination as the thick plaster crumbled under her practiced touch, the cracking of the wooden framework beneath it echoing forebodingly in their ears.

Sasuke scoffed, indifferent to her indignant tone as he turned his disconcerted frown her way.

"It's not like I'll be gone for long, Sakura—"

"And I call you on your bullshit! The last time you were away, you were gone for _six fucking months_! And you called that a _short_ trip?!" The pinkette hissed vindictively, pink lips puffed out in a pout as she clenched her hands at her sides in a futile attempt at controlling her shakes.

Sasuke's gut filled with trepidation, and guilt flickered all too fleetingly across his handsome features as he met her frigid gaze with sombre ebony irises. He knew that his leaving her for any stretch of time was more than she could bear most days; but she had born it all with her sweetest of smiles, understanding colouring her complexion beautifully as she wished him well and parted with him with patient sorrow in her eyes.

Sasuke couldn't have been luckier to have her love, even if right in that moment she wanted to gouge his eyes out with a spoon.

"I don't make promises I can't keep, Sakura!"

His words, sharp and biting, were like a slap to the face. He may as well have raised his hand and struck out, because the aftermath was eerily and unpleasantly similar to the motion itself as Sakura stared back at him, aghast. The raven haired Uchiha felt his stomach churn, and he was quick to amend his statement.

"I don't leave because I enjoy making you suffer. You should know that by now. I… This is something I have to do. For both of us. I can't be the bringer of further pain. Never again."

And just like that, all of the anger fizzled out of her features, leaving her hollowed out with sympathy and heartache. She bit her lip, looking distraught and exhausted as she held his intense stare with watery green eyes.

"Does that…" She began with a touch of hesitance lining her tone, expression torn as she cast her gaze down towards her feet. Sasuke stiffened, heart twisting within the stranglehold of regret as he watched her shrink into herself once and for all.

"Does that mean that you don't want me anymore…?"

Shockwaves rippled through his stilled frame, and he barked out a harsh laugh at the ludicrousness of her assumption; Sakura's head snapped up, eyes burning with vulnerability and emotion as she jumped in surprise at the nearly animalistic quality to his tone. The blatant ire on his face was palpable, and the pinkette had to stave off her hiccupped sobs as the first tear trailed traitorously down her cheek.

Sasuke was pissed.

He peripherally supposed that her presumption was validated in some ways; his lack of compunction and clarity regarding his phrasing left a lot to suggestion, and so he could theoretically understand where her misconception had come from. But the larger, more dominant part of his mind—the aspect that was not influenced by rationality—was _insulted_ that she thought he would ever tire of loving her.

"I thought you knew me better than that, Sakura. Have I not made my feelings perfectly clear to you? Do you think any woman other than you could ever make me so fucking angry because she thinks I'm walking away for good?" Sasuke spat irately, expression harsh and unforgiving as his voice rose alongside his mounting temperament. Sakura quailed, stepping back as he stalked toward her with eyes that had bled into crimson.

Black tomoes spun chaotically in his irises, and he was quick to slam his hand against the wall behind her head, effectively boxing her in against his body.

"H-How could I know any better, Sasuke?! You're gone so often that sometimes I wonder if you were ever really here at all!" Sakura exclaimed without missing a beat, the hurt in her expression mirroring the pain in her lover's ebony orbs as her face fell.

Utterly crestfallen.

Defeated by his intensity, Sakura sagged against the wall, guilt gnawing away at her insides as she took in his crumbling countenance with wide eyes. She couldn't believe that she had said that; something so cold, so cruel and untrue, that it left them both reeling in their own respective stupors.

He came home more often than he ever would have had he not loved her—had he not felt he owed it to her to be there for her. To be _with_ her. Sakura knew this. She knew that he loved her, that he needed her more than anything; and the fact that she had so easily dismissed his efforts, the efforts to better himself and to make time for her, was worse than a chakra-laden punch to the gut.

Sasuke's expression was unreadable, and the pink haired kunoichi was filled with a bitter chill as he fixed her with a frosty stare bereft of the sting of her words impact on him. He leaned away, brushing a strand of frizzy pink hair behind her ear before he cupped her cheek with his calloused palm and parted his lips to speak.

"… If I didn't love you so much, I never would have come back in the first place." His voice was a sad murmur, sweetened with affection as he turned away from her and made his way to their apartment's front door.

The empty sleeve where his left arm used to be fluttered soundlessly with his movements, and Sakura sunk down to the floor as Sasuke bent down to put his sandals on without another word her way. The pinkette lifted her knees to her chest, heart thudding erratically beneath her breast as she wrapped her arms around them and buried her face into the cradle her legs provided.

"If loving me is such an inconvenience to you…" Sakura's voice was a breathy whisper, a dying husk of her usual verdant cheer as Sasuke paused with his hand on the doorknob; waiting for her to continue.

"… Then don't bother coming back."

The moment those words left her lips, Sakura regretted them, wished she could take them back. She wanted nothing more than to pull him into her arms and deny all of it, because they were all lies, every fucking syllable and sentence—but she couldn't. All of the power in her body had been sucked out of her, anger leaving her desolate—wallowing in the vestiges of self-pity as she heard the faint scuffle of shoes and the door falling to a soundless close behind her renegade love's back.

Only when his chakra had dissolved and eventually faded into the distance did she allow herself to fall apart. In their first serious fight, everything she had worked so hard to establish between them had come undone. For years, Sakura had expected him to walk away of his own volition; it had been an inherent part of his nature, to be absorbed in his own plights, for so long that defecting down the wrong path had become his greatest talent.

But what Sakura had never in her life anticipated was the fact that when he finally walked out of that front door for good, it was because _she_ had been the one to tell him to go.

And she was sure that it would be the death of her, because letting him go was killing her inside.

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***.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.**

**_…__TBC…_**

***.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.**

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**Ending Remarks:** _Just a reminder that every relationship has its ups and downs. And in one as complicated as this, there would definitely be more lows than highs at times like this._

_Until next time._

-x-**R**_ i_ n-x-


	22. Makeup

**Author's Note:** _And the awaited continuation arrives at last! For future reference, __**TBC**__ implies another chapter. Please bear this in mind for future updates (should I use it at the end of a chapter.) Back to some shameless angst-fluff. *^*_

**_SasuSaku _****Anthems** (for this chapter): I Know You **by Skylar Grey** and Say You Love Me **by Jessie Ware**.

* * *

**_Melt the Mistletoe _**

* * *

**Twenty-Two: **Makeup

**.**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura (with brief mention of Uzumaki Naruto)_**

**_Categories: Drama, Angst, Romance _**

**_Rating: K_**

* * *

.

Every day for six weeks, Sakura cried.

She had been proud of herself whenever she went out, for she had maintained her composure and managed halfhearted smiles for her friends' benefits—even though they knew better. They knew that when she wasn't taking charge of her medical clinic, and when she wasn't forcing herself to be chipper in their presence, that she had been mourning the unspoken loss of her lover for every waking second he was absent from her life.

Her red-rimmed eyes, swollen from her endless grief, were nearly impossible to miss even caked under layers of foundation, and the glassy quality to her emerald irises only furthered her silent weeping.

Those who knew of her only peripherally could only shake their heads and lament for her pain from the sidelines; whereas those that loved and cherished her jubilance could barely suppress their desire to pull her into their arms and console her. The exact nature of their breakup remained undisclosed; but never the less, its impact lingered in every facet of her day to day existence, and Naruto was torn about whose version of events he should take on board.

He knew his best friend was a bastard; but he would never intentionally hurt Sakura if he could help it.

Likewise, Sakura was as fragile as fine china, had become so brittle in the wake of his mistreatment of her that she had closed off a part of her heart from all of them. Even from Sasuke himself.

The blonde had a sneaking suspicion that that was the catalyst for their presumed split—the feelings of resentment that she had kept buried within her for so many years finally bubbling over all at once.

And Naruto could hardly blame her for her emotional outburst, should that have been the cause. Sakura had been put through the ringer by her life-long love, and he had nearly broken every last shred of empathy she had had for him when he had tried to kill her, _twice_. Three times, if the jinchuuriki counted the genjustu he had cast over her before they fought as enemies for the very last time. So the very fact that she had been able to _forgive_ him, and love him a thousandfold over in the wake of his crimes against her, had been startling for all who knew of their circumstances.

But Naruto hadn't been surprised.

He had grown up watching her pine after his raven haired brother, had watched her fall out of her tentative crush and into maddening love instead, and he knew that she would always have room in her heart for forgiveness—if it was only for him.

He couldn't soothe the sting of her heartache with smiles and hugs alone, but he felt that as long as he kept her company, as long as he remained by her side, it would be enough. At least until the one she wanted most of all returned to take his rightful place there in Naruto's stead.

Until that day arrived—and he knew that it would—the future Hokage of Konohagakure would ensure that her heart was sheltered from the storm of her crumbling composure, because that pink haired goddess that he adored so deeply deserved to be protected from further heartbreak.

* * *

Sakura had taken to the dull monotony that came with cleaning. She spent endless hours at home, blasting music to fill the silence that was once so treasured by a head of dark hair and gorgeous obsidian orbs as she scrubbed her (_their_) apartment within an inch of its life. On her hands and knees, with a bucket of boiling, soapy water beside her and a cloth clenched between taut fingertips, the pinkette buffered the polished wooden planks with deft, jerky motions; sweat dripping off of her forehead onto the wet floor and summoning a spike of agitation within her. It all seemed rather counterintuitive, cleaning only to dirty her efforts with her own filth.

Biting her lip in an effort to curb her urge to cuss aloud, Sakura sat back on her shins, green eyes naturally settling upon the wall across from her.

The wall that she had blasted into oblivion on that awful night nearly two months ago.

She found that repairs were impossible, the damage done unto it too extensive for any tradesman to even begin to fix, and so she had ripped it out and opened the room up to create more space for her furnishings. The divider wall no longer impeded upon the floor plan of the decently sized apartment building, and its absence created a sense of desolation that she knew she could not fill with knick-knacks alone.

To her, it was as far from a home as could be, for _he_ was no longer there to share it with her; and without Sasuke, there would never be a place she could call hers, because her whole world revolved around the idea of living within an existence that was _theirs_.

Eyes rife with the threat of tears, Sakura blinked them back, swallowing the heady lump in her throat as she took a deep breath to calm herself. She needed to get her shit together. Crying solved nothing. No matter how crippled she felt, losing her lifeline, she would persevere. She was no longer weak. She could deal with anything life threw at her, even if that was utter devastation itself.

"Tch… I'm so… Why am I so…? Goddammit!" Sakura murmured softly beneath her breath, gnawing on the inside of her cheek as she brushed her fringe out of her face and exhaled quietly.

She was shaken, but she would not let it defeat her.

The pink haired kunoichi puffed out her cheeks, smacking her hands lightly against them as she steeled herself once more. This wasn't getting the job done. She rubbed her palms raw, and she was mildly concerned that she would invariably summon welts upon her tender fists even as she lifted the grime afflicting the floor with rhythmic pulsations of her body and arms working in sync.

Those mindless ponderings were quickly dismissed, however, when a warm flare of chakra rocketed through her system and alerted her to another's presence.

She felt him before she saw him, could almost taste every step he took like a bitter surge of iron in her closed mouth as he climbed the landing and settled outside of their abode. She flew to her feet, disbelief throwing her off kilter as the doorknob rattled and the lock clicked apart in time with her stereo system's randomised playlist coming to an end. At first she honestly believed that her grief was making her delusional, but when that wooden barricade opened and the person she loved most stepped into the threshold of their apartment moments later, her heart jumped into her throat and her eyes burned with emotion.

Sasuke kicked off his sandals, pausing to take in the sparkling interior of his home, before he located the source of it herself with piercing onyx eyes. There was an intensity described in their depths that summoned butterflies in Sakura's tummy, and she could hardly swallow through the sudden dryness of her mouth. His stance was riddled with purpose, and he locked gazes with her as he closed the door quietly behind himself and turned the deadlock over indefinitely with intentional punctuality—as if it was his wordless confirmation that he was not leaving her again.

Sakura could scarcely breathe, her inhalations sharp and swift as he strode towards her with… hesitance?

Sasuke looked wary of her reaction to his presence, expression carefully schooled into neutrality and eyes hooded as he levelled her with a stare so smouldering that it could melt the chrome off of the new complexes being built atop the Hokage Mountain. She had to fight the urge to crumble on the spot, even as he stopped just short of touching her.

The pinkette raised her hands until they were covering her parted lips, her tears spilling soundlessly down her flushed cheeks as she gazed up at him like he was both persona non grata and a gift from the gods themselves. And when he brushed her drenched tresses from her face, the warmth of his familiar touch igniting all of the love in her body and beyond all at once, she had to suck back her loudest sob yet.

Sasuke pressed his fingertips against her little diamond, a sad smile quirking at the corners of his mouth as he trailed them down her blotchy cheek until he was cupping her jaw; she was as beautiful as she had always been, utter train wreck aesthetic aside, and he marvelled in her radiance even as he dropped his saddle-bag to the floor and curled his arm around her frail shoulders. She had lost weight, it seemed, for he found that there was less of her to hold onto, and something in that sentiment alone was both chilling and disarming.

It was like she was fading away little by little into nothingness, and he was the cause of its happening in the first place—and that was something that he could not live with.

His heated palm cradled the back of her neck, and he stooped down to her level so that he could breathe her in a little more even as her own breath hitched in wonderment. Sasuke pressed his nose into her hair, nuzzling against her temple affectionately as he buried his face in the crook of her shoulder; he held her prone form against him, heart fluttering and constricting within his chest as he noted her reluctance to fully embrace him.

Instead she rested her hands on his covered stomach, fingers curling into the soft fabric of his shirt whilst her chin barely brushed against his collarbone as she revelled in his heat like a woman starved.

"You came back…" Sakura's voice was but a strangled whisper, dying upon her lips as the first sniffles made themselves audible. Sasuke hummed softly against her bared skin, pressing his mouth against the smooth ivory in a fleeting kiss before he pulled back to look her in the eyes.

"Of course I did. I'll always come back to you." It was a resolute statement, dripping with sentiment as he stared down at her with dark irises brimming with meaning.

He craned over her to press his mouth against the quivering corner of her twitching lips, noting with a trickle of pleasure that her tears were happy ones. Her soft smile, tremulous and vulnerable in a way that he had never experienced with her before, was all he needed to confirm this as she tugged him down by his shaggy locks and kissed him with every ounce of gusto she had in her.

Their lips melded together seamlessly, in a feverish haze that saw him pressing tender kisses against every sliver of exposed skin he could touch between her demanding desire for more—to be as close as she could to him, so that he could leave his imprint upon her and never leave her side again.

She slipped her arms around his neck, boosting herself up on the tips of her toes so that she had a better vantage point as he tilted her head back with gentle fingertips so that he could claim her lips once more. Her skin tingled, tears leaving sticky trails down her pink cheeks as he kissed her with a desperate fervency that she had never expected from him.

Drawing back for air, Sakura buried her hands in his hair, nuzzling against his smooth cheek as she held him to her, his mouth parted in a searing open-mouthed kiss against her raging pulse point as she fought back the worst of her sobs with fierce determination.

"I…! I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun! All those things I said, I never meant a word of them—!" She began through soft hiccups, her gasps catching in her throat as it tightened with raw emotion.

Sasuke brushed his nose against her jawline, leaving a sweet kiss against her temple as he pressed their foreheads together. His eyes were closed, but his expression was thoughtful, and Sakura felt her heart thump chaotically beneath her ribcage as he cupped her hip with a possessiveness that made her Inner swoon in delight.

"I know, baby. It's alright now."

He looked at her then, and even though their situation was far from fine, _they_ were. Sakura knew that a Band-Aid was nowhere near enough to fix a broken heart; but he was more than enough of a remedy for her pain, irrespective of the fact that he was often times the greatest cause of it, and she knew that he was here now to make it all better. He was no longer running away from this, from _them_, and that was all she needed in order to forgive him.

They were both to blame for this fallout of sorts, but as he tipped her head back to receive another one of his scorching kisses, Sakura realised that perhaps this had all been for the best.

After all, only an empty relationship had no flaws—and theirs was the grandest love story ever to be forged from the wreckage of desolation and despair. For from the ashes of redemption rose the phoenix of love finally and firmly reciprocated; and Sakura and Sasuke were living proof that in life, _anything_ was possible.

They would get through this.

Together.

_"__Always and forever._ _Right, Sasuke-kun?"_

_"… __Aa."_

* * *

**Ending remarks:** _Because we all need to be reminded that Sasuke-kun is still my awkwardly loving husbando, especially when he owes someone a serious apology. Please let me know what you thought of this in the form of more reviews! I live for your feedback._

_Probably won't update this again for a while. I have a life to live, after all._

_Until next time._

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	23. Perception

**Author's Note:** _Wow, I can't believe it's been a year since I posted this fic. Time sure does fly, huh? Let's see how far I can get with this year's updates lmao. _

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**_Melt the Mistletoe_**

* * *

**_._**

**Twenty-Three: **Perception

**_._**

**_Characters: Uzumaki Karin; Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura—with brief appearances from Naruto, Juugo and Suigetsu._**

**_Categories: Friendship, Romance_**

**_Rating: K_**

* * *

**.**

Karin supposed that perhaps Sasuke had always belonged to Sakura. Not in the literal sense, for the raven haired Uchiha was as prone to wandering to his own whimsies as he was being blatantly indifferent to those around him. The redhead knew this all too well, for she had been on the receiving end of his most caustic brutality all too often. He had nearly even killed her in a moment of very literal insanity, all because she had become an expendable liability to his twisted vision of the future, and he found that he had no further use for her abilities. Now the red haired kunoichi wasn't naïve; she had realised long ago that Sasuke had no interest in her beyond her unique sensory perception.

But that hadn't stopped her from foolishly hoping that he would one day reciprocate her sentiments, if only a little. And in all of the time that they had spent together as teammates, not once did his gaze stray away from the path that he was treading.

As he led them into the darkness headfirst, with no hesitance whatsoever and little consideration regarding their (_her_) safety at all, she felt for the first time a mounting sense of dread fill her to the brim with consternation. Karin didn't want to believe that she regretted her choice, because following Sasuke, the man who had unwittingly saved her life from the clutches of death as children, was akin to liberation itself. No longer was she bound by the obligations of her rare bloodline to offer herself up as a pawn in Orochimaru's gambit for eternal life.

She could choose her own path to follow, and it was all because Uchiha Sasuke had been the one to grant her her freedom; if only to use her in his former teacher's place.

Karin firmly believed that in and with Sasuke, she could find the answers to her otherwise meaningless existence—that through his own journey for vengeance, she would be able to rediscover what it meant to have a purpose in life.

On the surface it appeared as though she only ever saw the physical perfection in him, but it went far deeper than anything she had ever felt before. Like a planet in orbit, the red haired Uzumaki gravitated around his presence as a mere fleck of dust unworthy of inspection. He was the sun to her moon, a blazing star of unrivalled beauty that completely whitewashed her into insignificance.

Never had anyone, who made her feel so small in comparison, sought her out as something of implicit importance; especially not someone as out of her reach as Sasuke was. But he had, giving her the first decision she had ever had to make for herself—of her own volition—to help her escape from a dismal life of guarding Orochimaru's prospects without a word of thanks or a damn given about how she felt about it all.

He had saved her again with his offer, for he had given her the chance to have an existence all her own; and giving it up all for the sake of aiding him in his mission had never been a simpler choice to make.

If he needed her, then she was all his. Even if she was to be thrown aside when her usefulness expired.

Karin had known this, really she had; but to be staring into the empty, careless eyes of her quiet love had frozen her through to the very core, leaving her numb and desolate all over again. When he ran her through with his raiton blade, barely an inch away from her pounding heart, she felt every sliver of infatuation drain away from her insides alongside the sudden outpouring of blood that came with his mortal wound.

While she was sure that she had loved some part of him, she had loved the _idea_ of him more—the idea of being the one to return him back to the smiling youth that so easily handed her life back to her all those years ago in the chūnin exams.

He was no longer that man, too far gone to ever be truly mendable, and she had become painfully aware of that fact the moment she felt her back hit the hardened earth beneath her—her life seeping out of her vicious wound as she stared death right in the face.

It was the first time Karin had ever been afraid, _wholeheartedly_ _afraid_, of what he had become. He frightened her, and although once she had been all too willing to give up her life in order to keep him safe, now she firmly lamented her girlish foolhardiness; for it was a sacrifice given in vain, one that he cared little for.

He would not mourn her loss.

She had never been all that valuable to him if he could murder her in cold blood without batting an eyelash, after all, and never had that mawkishness resonated quite so profoundly within her until he loomed atop her like the Grim Reaper himself.

There had been a split second where she felt as if her death would be worth it _if only he smiled at her as he had back then_, but only a senseless feeling of satisfaction rolled off of his eerie expression as he raised his blade once more and sent her towards a nightmarish demise. She would never forget the sight of those bloodthirsty, deranged irises, or the unstable contortion of his usually stoic countenance as he smirked over his victory like nothing could ever touch him.

And then _her_ voice rang out, clear as crystal and sweetened with despair as she swept in to pull Sasuke out of the darkness and back into the light once and for all. Karin had felt her heart constrict in her chest at the flicker of recognition in his eyes, for he had never deigned her worthy of such even as he shifted his maddening features away from her own. The redhead recognised that voice, was keenly aware of the weight behind this woman's words as she soothed the animal within the raven haired Uchiha for but a brief moment.

But that was all Karin had needed, for she was still alive and breathing, and part of her was grateful for the interruption, even if it meant only a brief reprieve for her.

"… Sakura." The recognition on his face and in his tone was all too clear, the rest of his words fading out into a garbled mess of waning sound as Karin kept her hawkish gaze fixed on Sasuke's every move.

His stature was still wary, but he had relaxed somewhat, a startling change considering his earlier tautness. Either he perceived his old teammate an insignificant footnote that he could easily deal with—which she probably was in retrospect—or he felt liberated enough in her presence to gloat of his sickening accomplishments. If Karin had to guess, it was probably some unsettling mixture of both.

Sakura's voice was small but firm as she pleaded with him, spouting some nonsense about wanting to leave everything behind and joining him as a nukenin. _Not you too_, the redhead thought with a fresh wave of sympathetic sadness washing over her, clenching her jaw to stave off her urge to sob as she cast her weary gaze Sakura's way.

_Don't be fooled by him too… he feels nothing anymore. Not for you, and certainly not for me… _

Tears filled her eyes as defeat overcame her desperate desire to preserve her pride for as long as possible. She mourned the loss of the young boy that he had once been; mourned the loss of another life, far removed from the violence and bloodshed that came with war; mourned the loss of her love, because without it she was empty. She had clung on to the fleeting threads of her childish infatuation for so long that she didn't know what it even felt like to feel anything else, and it hurt to realise that once more she had wasted away her second chance at life.

And wasn't it ironic that the man who had extended his hand out to her, who had pulled her out of the darkness and set her life ablaze with possibility, would be the one to plunge her back into eternal damnation for the final time?

So resigned was she to her fate that Karin didn't even flinch when Sakura took her place where Sasuke once stood, kunai in hand and an indescribable sense of confliction on her pretty face. The red haired kunoichi stared back just as intently, bright crimson eyes searching the level of resolve in her emerald irises whilst she contemplated the depths of their shattering hue with a morbid sense of fascination.

She had always thought that Sasuke had had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, as they were hooded with mystery and yet wholly expressive all at once.

But in Sakura, she found something else; a raw honesty and a well of emotion that swept Karin up in their momentum, for they were a mirror of her own. She could see herself reflected in those eyes, and she knew then that this girl would not kill her. She was far too kind hearted, far too genuine, to ever fall to Sasuke's level of depravity. And so when she felt Sasuke move in for the kill, she couldn't help but feel empathetic to Sakura's plight—for a fruitless love was what they both shared, and Karin couldn't bear to see Sasuke hurt another the way he had hurt her.

Because pain like this was beyond the promise of death.

"…Sasuke… stop…"

It was a breathy murmur, a whisper of her former boisterousness that dripped with resonant feeling, and for the first time in her life she felt the need to protect someone other than the youth she was entreating to cease and desist from stabbing someone else in the back. From killing someone else who _loved_ him and _only_ him, and wanted to do whatever it took to shine a spotlight over the cloud of wrath that had settled over his hardened heart. She would save this girl, even if all she could do was warn Sakura of his backhanded intentions.

A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she blacked out, blood loss making her woozy and summoning a tide of drowsiness that could only pull her under.

And when she regained consciousness, if only for a moment, Sasuke's whole former team had assembled before him, and Sakura was curled over her prone figure—the soothing green glow of her healing chakra illuminating her broken features as she wept her pain onto Karin's cheeks and glasses. Heartache burned its way through the redhead's system, tightening her throat as tears of her own trickled futilely out of the corners of her eyes.

_She's alive… She can still save him… from himself… She can still—_

She fell into inertia's embrace once more, her despair glittering with the faintest glimmer of hope as her mind coiled around it soothingly.

This time, she would nurture it; this fleeting, fickle life of hers, and pray that her feelings reached him beyond the void of his instability before it was too late.

* * *

Looking back on it now, it shouldn't have been so easy for her to have forgiven Sasuke. In fact, a part of Karin still resented the bastard for putting her through the ringer, irrespective of his emotional and mental breakdowns being the cause for his actions. Never the less, she had given him the benefit of the doubt, because he had never looked her directly in the eye like that and apologised so sincerely for being, for lack of a better term, an asshole, and she was weak for that.

Was weak for him, really.

If she were to put a label on it, she would say that she still yearned for him; just not in the way that most people anticipated, especially considering her questionable track record regarding the raven haired male in the past.

She yearned for the day that he could put the fragile pieces of his heart back together again, so that he could finally move on and learn to use the love in his heart instead of his overwhelming hatred. Because most people assumed he was a creature of callous cruelty, they could never see the big picture; but Karin had always been perceptive, beyond her special abilities.

She had always known that beneath his bitter façade of indifference, he cared—far too deeply to ever guess the full extent of those sentiments.

She saw how he treated those around him with a certain element of deference, respecting them as individuals even as he barrelled towards his older brother with a killer's intent. He never had been a truly evil person, for it had been love stolen and lost that had motivated him to lash out and hurt those responsible for his pain.

He had never killed anyone other than Itachi—who had already succumbed to his illness over the years—and Danzo, and they were born of misconceptions and revelations respectively. And although he had hosted intentions of causing further pain and destruction by erasing all others in the hope that the remaining few would focus all of their hatred on him, he had never gone through with it because of the lingering attachment he still felt for his remaining loved ones. They mightn't have been connected by blood, but their ties were bone deep and endless, and it was through the perseverance of Naruto, Sakura and the now Rokudaime Hokage Kakashi that he had come through good in the end.

They had lifted the veil of darkness that had once loomed so heavily over him when no one else could, where _she_ couldn't, and a sense of bittersweet fulfilment lingered in her chest when she realised that it had never been her place to do so.

And so as the days rolled by, and as she continued to cherish the friendships that she had formed with the people of Konohagakure, she continued to watch the two of them, Sasuke and Sakura, dance tentatively around each other as they waited for the inevitable to bring them together indefinitely.

For it was all she could do to keep from mourning over a loss that was never implicitly hers to begin with.

* * *

"If you hurt her, I'll never forgive you. You hear me, Sasuke?" Karin's voice was strong and fervent, scarlet irises narrowed into a fierce glower as she threw out her hip in a stubborn jut reminiscent of the first time they met.

Sasuke's dark eyes widened marginally, surprise colouring his handsome features as he looked up from his pensive brooding only to see a very determined expression on his ex-Taka teammate's face. Her hair had grown quite long until recently, as she had cut it all off into a boyish cut that suited her quite nicely. The one aspect of her new bob that had thrown Sasuke for a loop, however, was the one side that had been shaved clean off, leaving a casually styled overcut and side-fringe in its wake.

Never the less, she seemed happy with it, as she had been overly enthusiastic about showing it off to his pink haired comrade, who had squealed with delight over the change (for some godforsaken reason beyond him.)

She had handed in her vermillion glasses frames and traded them for a sleeker, more streamline aesthetic, the black bringing out the colour of her skin and hair and making her eyes pop in a way that her previous ones had failed to do so. Her clothing was less revealing as well, but that might also have something to do with the biting chill of winter on the horizon, and Sasuke was pleasantly surprised by how well put together she was.

The fact that she could even speak with him anymore had really shocked him, in reality.

After everything that he had done to her, he had hardly expected forgiveness. But unlike Sakura, who was perpetually an open book to him, Karin had hardened herself up, and never minced her words with him anymore. Where there was once a salacious flirtation to her every sentence, there was now only blunt sincerity. She took no prisoners with her words, and she was more than prepared to back them up now that she was clearly not as unabashedly besotted with him as before.

And that was a fact that piqued Sasuke's curiosity more than anything, for she had obviously not given up on him, even if her words said otherwise.

Sasuke nodded succinctly after a moment of contemplation, noting the unrelenting stubbornness in her scowling lips as they pouted in an attempt at intimidation, realising her intent as he caught her gaze shifting away from him to a place over his shoulder.

Her features visibly softened, and a fondness similar to that of the love he often saw in Sakura's eyes when she looked up at him flickered through her bright red eyes as she smiled softly to herself—and Sasuke knew that the pinkette was making her way over to them without ever having to turn around.

Her warm, bubbly chakra was all he needed to confirm that it was her, as he could pick her out in a crowd of thousands without ever having to search for her presence himself. And as his own countenance softened into something akin to affectionate, he knew then why Karin was so adamant about never hurting her. It wasn't just for Sakura that she was concerned; it was for him, who had lost so much already.

The redhead didn't want him to lose something, _someone_, so dear to his heart, now that he had finally found her.

She wanted to shelter both of them from the pangs of reality that had kept them apart for so long, because they both deserved to be happy now. She loved them both too much to let them settle for anything less than each other.

"… You have my word." The raven haired Uchiha added as an afterthought, cementing his determination to live up to Karin's expectations, because she had sacrificed everything for him many times over—and making Sakura happy was in line with everything that he aspired to in this second chance he called his life.

He would not let it go to waste. Not again. Karin held his gaze for a few moments, expression unreadable before she let out an exasperated sigh and smiled up at him, a genuine kindness on her visage that defied the turmoil in her tightening chest.

"Then would you please stop fucking around and just _get together_ already? She's waited long enough, don't you think, you big _idiot_?" Her words were light, tone teasing as she shoved him playfully, all smiles as he reached out to squeeze her hand with his. The look of gratitude on his handsome face was a sight that she would never forget for the rest of her life, and as he wrapped his palm around hers in a tender display of reconciliation, biting her lip was all she could do to stave off her urge to cry.

"Hn. Got it."

And there was that smirk—the one that was the ghost of a _true_ smile, the remnants of the boy she had thought was lost to her seeping into his fond expression as he met her wide eyes with irises that were deeply expressive. Mouth falling open in surprise, Karin could only stare up at him with a lingering sense of awe, but it was quickly replaced with a bubbling sense of delight as she grinned up at him with all of the jubilance of the sun.

To this day she would deny that her cheeks were flushed with a blush, and that she had cried like a baby like Suigetsu had so tactlessly insinuated as he approached with Juugo and Naruto in turn. And when Sakura had slyly slid up to her side to probe for answers regarding her overly chummy interaction with her one true love, Karin could only laugh and throw her arms around her in an attempt to drown her elated moroseness in another's embrace. She had found a true friend in Sakura, and even in Sasuke as well; he respected her more than she had ever thought possible, and that was enough for her.

She had always craved acknowledgement from him, and she had finally gotten it.

And as she stepped out into the world beyond Konoha's gates with her two teammates at her sides, she couldn't help but yearn for their next meeting.

She had cut off her hair to symbolise a new beginning, one where they could live in a world where _their_ feelings could be actualised. She would protect their blossoming, quiet love with the force of a thousand armies, even from a distance, for they had given her her life back—and that was the one true love that she had been dreaming of her whole life. The love of two people who could see her for who she really was, and who could give her the motivation to persevere once more.

She would survive this, because _they_ were meant to be.

Sakura would always have his heart, that was true.

And Karin was happy with that, for she had one stolen moment where she could firmly believe that he cared for her as more than just a means to a bitter end.

_"__Karin… Take care."_

The sky above had never looked so beautiful to her.

* * *

**Ending Remarks: **_I just wanted to try an introspective from Karin's perspective. Don't get me wrong, I hated her profusely all throughout Shippuden because she wasted her potential on being a strong female character on fangirling over Sasuke-kun. But my respect for her grew immensely after the post-epilogue mini-series, and I can safely say that I really like her. As a character, she has developed the most—from infatuation to genuine love for her friends, and the fact that she could admit to having a love that transcended the foolishness of her youth really resonated with me. _

_Now she just needs to get with Suigetsu and have a baby, and the world will have aligned itself perfectly LOL._

_See you with the next one tomorrow (if I manage to get it done in time lmao.) ¬^¬_

_-x-_**R**_i _n_-x-_


	24. Sparkler

**Author's Note:** _Thanks for the reviews guys! I'm glad that you could take something away from the change in perspective. I certainly enjoyed empathising with Karin as both a character and as a person all her own through writing. I will be sure to do more fics with her and Suigetsu in future._

* * *

**_Melt the Mistletoe_**

* * *

**_._**

**Twenty-Four: **Sparkler

**_._**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura; Uzumaki Naruto x Hyuuga Hinata—with a cameo from Tsunade, Kakashi and Shikamaru._**

**_Categories: Friendship, Romance, Family_**

**_Rating: T (for language)_**

* * *

**.**

"Here you go, Sakura-chan! The shop keeper gave us an extra box because Hinata-chan was so sweet to her!" Naruto exclaimed chirpily, all smiles as he met her befuddled green irises with dazzling cerulean.

Only recently had he decided that he would chop all of his unruly locks away from his face, and what a difference it made. Sun-kissed skin, clearer than it had ever been in his youth, greeted Sakura's intrigued gaze with glaring clarity, the refined contours of his cheek bones and jaw more solidly defined now that his bangs were permanently out of sight. The boisterous blonde had also shot up nearly half a foot, transforming him into a broad and ridiculously tall adult male who shared only a vague resemblance to the once tiny child of his youth.

A part of Sakura loathed him for his sudden and very unexpected growth spurt, for she had had no such luck with her perpetually stunted height; but the more predominant aspect that plagued her thoughts was how splendidly he had transitioned from the social outcast to the village hero—all in the space of a few years. He was a literal reflection of their expectations; a mirror-image of his father the Yondaime Hokage, and he had proven to all that he was worthier than anyone else to take up the mantle left behind in the wake of Minato's demise.

Sakura smiled softly to herself, expression endlessly besotted with the male who was currently standing before her, wearing his trademark orange and black with pride. Of course his garish tastes had since matured from his youth, as his outfit consisted of mostly black with only a few sparing accents of orange here and there. The only other spattering of colour, aside from the vivid blue of his eyes and the striking blonde of his hair, was sourced in the red scarf that was wound precariously around his neck and shoulders, submerging his face in woollen warmth as he grinned down at her behind thick vermillion fabric.

"Uh, thanks, I guess? What exactly made you think of giving this to me, though? You know I'm busiest at the hospital this time of year. It is the Christmas season, after all. It's not likely that I'll be able to use them this year." Sakura returned sweetly, her tone light and upbeat as she curled her palms around Naruto's in an attempt to gently turn down his generous offer.

The sentiment was more than enough; it was best that someone else took them off of Naruto's hands, so that they could fully enjoy them with their loved ones whilst the season was still here. The blonde merely pushed his hands into hers, forcing her fingers around the lightweight box before he cradled her closed fists within his own. His countenance was tender, full of affection as he stared down at her pointedly with serious azure irises.

"Nope, no can do, Sakura-chan! I know you're busy—hell, you work harder than anyone in this village does—but that's all the more reason to get out and do something for yourself for once, 'ttebayo!" Naruto stated resolutely, voice stern but tone playful never the less as he sent her a wry smile that spoke wonders. Sakura's cheeks flushed delicately, darkening their rosy hue as the cold of the winter's day seeped into her skin.

Honestly, he could be such an insistent pain in her behind sometimes!

As she was about to protest, Naruto placed a pointed finger against her lips, stopping her inevitable tirade in its tracks as he continued to lecture her.

"No buts, Sakura-chan! I got a letter from Sasuke the other day, and he _specifically_ told _me_ to tell _you_ to take better care of yourself and get some rest! There's only so much you can do, and although we both have faith in your abilities, everybody needs to chill out every now and again! When was the last time you took some time off, huh?" His tone took on a sagely edge, one of his eyebrows quirking upwards as he stared at her somewhat imperiously.

Tongue-tied, Sakura could only mull over his question whilst she fought off the airy fluttering of her heart beneath her breast at the mention of her absent lover. She really _was_ in his thoughts. Pulse stuttering into overdrive, the pinkette could only grin to herself, infinitely pleased that he had deigned her worthy of an honourable mention in his letter to Naruto; for although he did ask after her often whenever he could, he had never been roundabout about it. Sasuke always went straight to the source, inquiring about how she was doing while he was away in every note and phone call he made to her.

The fact that he was also making sure to keep tabs on her through her closest people was really _incredibly_ endearing, for he was as awkward about showing affection as he was genuine when he did so, and so the fact that he had offhandedly pestered Naruto into checking up on her made her Inner swoon in delight. A sharp breeze cut through her thin nurse's gown, and she cursed the skin-tight nature of the thin cotton to hell and back as she shifted on the spot in a futile attempt at shirking off the worst of the chill. It was an admirable effort on her part, but when a dainty sneeze unknowingly escaped her, she knew that it was not meant to be.

Noting her mounting discomfort, Naruto quickly slipped out of his jacket, wrapping it around her exposed arms until his comforting warmth sunk indulgently into her pores. Sakura shuddered gratefully, thanking him with a kind smile as he scratched his flushed cheek with a prosthetic finger. She had only recently had him fitted with the artificial limb, after spending over half a year crafting a fully mobile model that he could use that was built to be functional.

By weaving in a synthetic replica of his keirakukei into the mould of the arm itself, Naruto would be able to weave signs and produce ninjutsu as he normally would, and with the lightweight titanium frame, it was as sturdy as any of his remaining fleshy appendages. But the best part was that with the continuing flow of chakra throughout the limb, he would be able to manipulate and move his hand, his fingers and thumb without too much trouble.

The blonde had told her that it was still a little weird adjusting to an arm that was clearly not his own, as he still had lingering pangs of phantom pain that reminded him that he was not completely whole anymore, but for the most part he was really happy with it. Sakura had been over the moon about it, as it was the prototype of her two years of hard work, and she was pleased that it would be received the same way, one day, by Sasuke—whenever he felt like he needed (_deserved_) it.

For now, Sakura was content to use Naruto as her guinea pig, ensuring that she could repair any discomfort he felt when he was wearing it so that Sasuke could find a more immediate sense of comfort with his own.

"Well, I'd say I haven't taken any time off since… after the war, maybe? I was too busy establishing my clinic and building your prosthetic arm with shishou to ever really consider taking time off." Sakura murmured thoughtfully, her fatigue only registering with her the more she thought about how little time she had had for herself in the last couple of years.

Naruto's eyes narrowed somewhat, and he scowled at the sincerity in his pink haired teammate's voice. She really did work far too much for it to be remotely healthy, but he could see the love and utter devotion she had for helping others before herself in everything that she said and did. It meant so much to her, that he felt almost guilty for reprimanding her, but Sasuke was right. She needed to stop, and if her renegade lover was staging a half-assed intervention through him in order to get it done, then it had to happen. No questions asked.

"And this is why Sasuke's soliciting my services! He's really worried about you, Sakura-chan! We _all_ are. You're gonna work yourself into an early grave at this rate, 'ttebayo!" Naruto scolded her with concern lining his gravelly baritone, and Sakura could only sigh in defeat.

The blonde knew her too well, if he was name dropping her boyfriend without any sign of teasing to the raven haired Uchiha's detriment.

"Naruto-kun is right, Sakura-chan." Both parties snapped to attention as the ethereal beauty that was Hyuuga Hinata sauntered over to them, a basket of winter flowers looped over her creased forearm as she came to a stop alongside her bombastic boyfriend. Her pale lavender irises glowed with quiet kindness as she smiled shyly in Sakura's direction.

She knew that the elder woman had quite the temper, and that she was as beautiful and smart as she was lethal, so naturally getting into her good graces was a difficult thing to do—Hinata was blessed to have her as one of her closest friends, and not once had they ever had a disagreement over anything. Their relationship was truly a harmonious one, and the ravenette did not wish to blemish that good natured respect they shared by incurring her wrath. Especially when she looked so exhausted.

Thankfully, Sakura could only laugh heartily at her open attempt at swaying her to rest, her insides warming at how considerate her friends were of her wellbeing.

"Y-You do so much, for all of us. The very least we can do for you is convince you to take some time off this year. W-We would all very much like to spend Christmas together as one big family, ne, Naruto-kun?" Hinata proffered smoothly, voice a honeyed murmur as she inclined her head in her lover's direction.

Naruto nodded adamantly in supplication, contrasting greatly against Hinata's soft pastel aesthetic with stark strips of bronze and black. She was crafted in the image of Yūki-onna, surely, timelessly beautiful and haunting to the gaze—especially in the dead of winter, where her pristine magnificence was one with nature itself. Sakura often found herself envious of her, in decadent moments such as this, where her radiance was at its peak; for she felt vastly inadequate in comparison, even when many had proven that notion otherwise.

But Hinata was such a wonderful, kind-hearted woman, it was hard to hold anything against her. Shrugging off her insecurities, the pinkette nodded in ascent, pulling Naruto's coat a little closer to her freezing body as she responded to their mutual protestations to her overworking herself.

"Alright, alright, you two! I'll talk with shishou and get clearance for a break. In the meantime, I'll leave you both to your date…!" Both Naruto and his lovely girlfriend blushed simultaneously, the latter falling back into her old habit of stuttering incoherently when she was nervous as Naruto shook his head from side to side quickly.

"It's not like that, Sakura-chan! W-We were just going to Neji's grave to leave him some flowers, 'ttebayo!"

"And then you'll both want to get cosy somewhere warm and have something hot to eat, am I right?" Sakura countered slyly, grinning when they had no counter-argument to her nosy commentary.

"See? Sounds like a date to me. Have fun, you two! And thanks again for being so persistent!" And before they could even begin to formulate a coherent response, Sakura had slipped away, taking Naruto's jacket with her as she made her hasty retreat. Said blonde fought back a smile, shaking his head as Hinata slipped her fingers through his gloved hand—the one that was all him—and leaned her head on his bicep tenderly.

"Ne, Naruto-kun?"

"Hm?"

"… I don't think Sasuke-kun will appreciate finding Sakura in your clothing all that much."

"… Well fuck, I forgot about that."

* * *

Sakura skipped into Tsunade's office with a surety that she hadn't felt in a long time. She knew that her blonde teacher would never deny her of anything, and she had earned a reprieve from working without a doubt. But there was still a niggling sense of apprehension tugging at her insides as she broached the topic with her none the less. The blonde was notoriously foul tempered, even more so than her most days, especially since she had taken over full responsibility of the hospital now that Kakashi-sensei was indoctrinated as the Hokage.

If she happened upon her in one of her famous moods, then she wouldn't ever catch a break.

When Sakura knocked on the doorframe, Tsunade cast her a brief cursory glance from her desk—decked out with piles of paperwork waiting to be signed—before she returned to skimming over the contents of the leaflet in her hand.

"Enter, Sakura." Her voice was a sultry command, leaving no room for complaint or defiance as she picked up her pen and began the tedious task of signing the legal documents.

The pink haired medical ninja made haste, slipping into the seat adjacent from her shishou as she craned over her desktop. She quickly found herself fidgeting in her place, anxiety reeling its ugly head the longer they sat stooped in silence. Tsunade was quick to cut to the chase, her words caustic but her tone belying her fondness of the pinkette as she probed for the reason she was disrupting her.

"What is it, Sakura? I don't have time for idle chit-chat, so spit it out." Said woman straightened in her seat, adrenaline pumping false confidence throughout her system as she responded, voice cool and measured as she vocalised her request.

"I wish to take a leave of absence for the holidays this year, if I may. All of my paperwork has been completed in advance, and I have my staff rostered for the duration that I will be away. I just need your approval—"

Tsunade snorted loudly, expression tired and drawn but tinged with amusement as she placed the sheet of paper down in front of her, folding her hands beneath her chin as she locked eyes with her protégé.

"Honestly, Sakura, is that all you're bothering me for? You want some time off, take some. Take as much as you like, in fact. You've been working your ass off every day since that foolish man of yours left, and he's been bitching to me and Kakashi for the last couple of weeks to let you loose of your obligations for a while so he can spend some time with you." The blonde exclaimed with a haughty laugh, honey-brown eyes alight with mirth as she watched comprehension dawn on her student's features.

Sakura lit up like a Christmas tree, her grin infectious as her eyes widened with surprise.

"Y-You mean that—"

"He's reporting in with that lazy-ass sensei of yours right now. Best catch him while you can." Tsunade offered with a salacious smirk on her face, dismissing the pink haired woman from her presence with an exasperated shake of her head. Sakura bowed hastily, heart a pounding mess as she flew out of the room and made her way over to the Hokage Mansion without ever looking back.

The busty woman reclined in her chair, swivelling to face the nearby window as she watched Sakura's form grow smaller from her place in her office.

"Time sure does fly, huh? You grew into quite the fine woman, Sakura. Now do an old woman a favour and be happy with that idiot, okay?" The Senju matriarch whispered breathily to herself, tone bittersweet as she reminisced over days long since passed with a tame smile on her face.

* * *

Kakashi's dark eyes widened a fraction as he read the scroll Sasuke had been keeping on his most recent travels. It detailed the most recent movements of an underground faction of nukenin whose collective goal was to obliterate the totalitarian rule of the Daimyo. And from the grim look on his former student's face, it looked like they had every intention of bringing the fight into the Land of Fire.

"… So it's come to this, huh? Another war?"

Sasuke's dark irises were hooded with a sharpness that belied his aloof calm, and the no-nonsense gleam in their depths affixed his findings into reality with brutal clarity.

"That's the most likely outcome, based off of their recent activities." The raven haired Uchiha began softly, tone unaffected even when his stature was ramrod straight with tension.

He was just as concerned about this as Kakashi was. Since the last war just over two and a half years ago, resources had been sparse as they had been divided equally between each of the warring nations, and thus rations for another conflict, so soon after the last had been averted, would lead to a state of national calamity. The ninja alliance would thus suffer, and they couldn't afford such a loss; every network they shared with the five Hidden Countries was intricately interwoven into every facet of daily life, from politics to international trade.

Another war would completely tear down the already fragile balance that had been established between each realm, and that would be positively disastrous for Konohagakure. Since the Hidden Villages had been exposed to the general public, many civilians had flocked to them for the extra insurance of protection, and thus the economy was thinly stretched to encompass the sudden influx of new villagers.

Without financial aid from the ruling powers of their respective nations, the shinobi hierarchy would collapse in on itself, and that domino effect would adversely impact upon the innocent people who unwittingly shared their fate. It was Kakashi's job as Hokage to nip this issue in the bud as soon as humanly possible, because he could not afford to put his people at further risk—especially after everything that they had already suffered through.

There had been enough violence. He would maintain the peace, no matter the cost.

Exhaling softly, the silver haired Kage sunk back into his plush chair, pinching the bridge of his nose as he pondered upon his options. Sasuke remained silent, awaiting his orders with bated breath. Sighing, Kakashi spoke.

"If that's how it's going to unfold, then I have no choice but to intervene. Shikamaru, can you get in touch with the Captain of ANBU and inform him that I have a confidential matter to discuss with him?" Kakashi cast a fleeting glance to the man standing alongside Sasuke, his trademark hairstyle a dead giveaway even when he had matured into a fine young adult.

The Nara prodigy nodded curtly, casting a peripheral glance Sasuke's way as he responded with a succinct, "Of course, Hokage-sama."

Said man merely rolled his eyes, apparently unused to being referred to so formally even after having been in office for two years.

"Shikamaru, there's no need for formalities. I keep telling you this, Kakashi is fine." Shikamaru clearly looked amused, his tight smile disguising a chuckle as he bowed for extra effect.

"And I keep saying that it would be inappropriate of me to take such liberties with the man who presides over my home as its caretaker. The very least I owe you is my respect." Before Kakashi could protest to his claim, Shikamaru bowed once more, before he slipped stealthily out of the room like he had never even been there to begin with.

Amidst it all, Sasuke remained indifferent, unruffled by their casual exchange as he mused over what was to be done about this latest problem group. They didn't need any more insurgents. The Akatsuki had been bad enough, without adding more criminal plots to the mix.

"As for you, Sasuke." The raven haired Uchiha reverted his undivided attentions to Kakashi, his stare piercing and slightly unnerving as his teacher cleared his throat and folded his arms against his chest.

"I think it's high time you took a break; wouldn't you agree?" Sasuke rose a pristine eyebrow in response, silently questioning Kakashi's judgement as he stared back at him with mirth dancing in his eyes.

"You've been spending an awful amount of time away from this wonderful village of ours doing reconnaissance for me, when you could be using that time more… efficiently. Like with a certain pink haired woman of whom you've been advocating so adamantly for these last few weeks to take some time off. Now I wonder _why_ you've been so damned _pushy_ about it…? Let me guess, you miss being with her?"

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction, clearly taken aback by his former sensei's presumptuous statement even when it was mostly true. He _had_ missed her, terribly in fact. But he wasn't about to give the bastard the satisfaction of being affected by it.

"… My feelings are irrelevant at this point. What's important is dealing with these rogues before they cause any serious damage to the village."

"And they will be dealt with. I'm sending in the best from ANBU to handle this mess, so rest assured the job will be done. In the meantime, you owe it to Sakura and to Naruto to stick around for a while. Christmas is just around the corner, and it would mean the world to them to know that you'll be here to celebrate it with them." Kakashi's tone was friendly but firm, and Sasuke could sense the underlying trace of an order lingering in his voice even as he met obsidian with obsidian.

He exhaled quietly, resigned to his fate. It wasn't so bad. He could really do with a rest, and being a hypocrite was not going to get him anywhere, least of all with the elder man in front of him.

"… Whatever you say." Sasuke murmured softly, inclining his head in the vaguest show of respect as he backed down from his stubborn stance with relative ease.

And it was at that moment that the door to Kakashi's office was nearly thrown off of its hinges, a breathless pinkette standing in the threshold as she regained her frazzled composure. Both men found their gazes trained intently on the hunched over form of Haruno Sakura, who looked a little worse for wear but jubilant as all hell; and it only brightened to dazzling heights when she looked up, only to see Sasuke's vaguely surprised face staring down at her.

"So you really are back! Welcome home, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura proffered between harsh pulls of air, her lips splitting into the most radiant smile he had ever seen on her face yet, and he couldn't help but feel his heart swell with affection as she straightened herself out and made her way over to his side. She gazed up at him with bright green eyes, cheeks pleasantly flushed as she took him in after nearly four months of being apart.

He had grown much taller—in fact, if she wasn't mistaken, he was actually still taller than Naruto. And she had a sneaking suspicion that if Kakashi were to stand alongside him, there would be only a very slight difference between them now, if any at all.

His hair was also a fair bit longer, falling over his handsome features beautifully, and Sakura had to fight back the urge to run her fingers through the thick black locks. It was surely as soft as it looked.

Kakashi took in the reciprocated sweetness in front of him with a smile, eyes crinkled with silent glee over their reunion even when his urge to tease them was far stronger.

"Okay kids, enough with the goo-goo eyes already. You'll give me cavities at this rate." His words were as laidback as he was, but the humour lacing his tone was all too evident, as Sakura quickly stepped back from Sasuke's tensed form, her cheeks reddening even further as she threw a glare Kakashi's way for interrupting their moment.

"Oh shut it, Kakashi-sensei! You're one to talk, reading that trashy excuse for literature every other minute of the day! Being Hokage doesn't protect you from sinning your way to Hell, you realise?" Sakura spat reproachfully, disdain lining the depths of her eyes even as she smiled at him.

Even this had become a routine gag for them, for the tension was all but gone in an instant with Kakashi's easy laughter, which echoed resoundingly in the otherwise quiet room.

"Well yes, I do suppose that karma will come around to bite me on the ass one of these days. But until then, don't deprive an old man of his most simple pleasure." He simpered playfully, eyes warm even as Shikamaru returned with his charge in turn. The Rokudaime Hokage sighed once more, his daily banter thoroughly expired as he refocused himself on the matter at hand.

"You'll have to excuse me, Sakura. Sasuke. I have some business to attend to, so you will have to forgive me for asking you to leave. But hey, at least that means you can go on a long overdue date, huh?" Kakashi began seriously, but ended with a lascivious smirk their way, eyes glittering with amusement as he watched Sasuke's expression turn livid (a slight dusting of pink touching the very tips of his ears) as he turned on his heel and pulled Sakura along with him.

"I'd be happy to send you to Hell myself, you old coot." Sasuke spat snidely, lips twisted with a grimace even as he slammed the door shut behind him, ending their conversation once and for all.

"Have fun, you two!" Kakashi called out after them, shit-eating grin morphing into something more genuine before Shikamaru cleared his throat to address him.

"Hokage-sama."

It was a synonymous greeting echoed by both men, and running his hand through his hair was all Kakashi could do to keep from vocalising his discontent with them for their overly formal mannerisms.

_I'm already there, Sasuke. Believe me._

* * *

The Christmas Eve party rolled around faster than anticipated, and in every waking moment until then, Sakura had spent it with Sasuke, all smiles as he walked alongside her. They rarely held hands in public, mostly because their relationship was a fledgling one at best. It was going strong, of course, but it was still at that tentative stage where they were getting used to being so close to one another under the pretence of something more than just comrades.

But Sakura was fine with that.

Having his arm so close to hers that it just brushed against it made her tingle all over, and she could barely suppress her jitters at the thought that he was doing it intentionally. Of course whenever she had tried to catch him in the act, he looked completely distracted by the festivities around them, expression idyllic as he soaked in the atmosphere with hungry eyes. He had missed this. Even Sakura could see that. Even though he did not necessarily relish in the thought of wandering around in amongst a crowd, he lived for the vitality, the happiness, of those around him, because he had been a big part of its continued existence.

He protected the joy of those who had never suffered so that they would never know his pain, as it was his purpose in life now. Part of his redemption was to ensure that the people of Konoha never had to endure such hardships as he had, never have to make the choices that he did. And it was as admirable as he was. Sakura couldn't help but fall even deeper into his spell, even as they made their way to Ichiraku's. It was the chosen venue this year because, as usual, Kakashi was far too busy to host it in his makeshift home, so they settled for Naruto's favourite food joint as the only other suitable alternative.

After all, there were so many positive memories forged there, as teammates and as friends, that it seemed fitting that that was where they would gather once more. And it was a raucous occasion indeed. Naruto had barrelled towards Sasuke the moment he caught sight of him, only to catch a face-full of his own jacket, the raven haired male clearly none too pleased about Sakura's wearing it as it smacked into the blonde with a resounding _'thwack!'_

"Fucking _ow_, teme! What the fuck? That's gotta be the shittiest greeting a best friend could ever get, 'ttebayo!" Naruto whined petulantly, scowling profusely in Sasuke's direction as he smirked back with mirth embedded upon his countenance.

"It's a good thing that you're not mine, then." He countered with a distinctly teasing tone, turning his gaze to Sakura, who was giggling at his side. His own jacket was draped around her petite body, sheltering her from the bitter chill of the night as his fingers curled into his hip. How he wanted to touch her, if even for a moment.

"Who goes around lending their clothing to other men's girlfriends for a week without ever coming to get it back? The desperate kind." Sasuke seethed imperiously, dark eyes narrowing into vicious slits as Naruto paled considerably in response.

"H-Hey, it's not like it meant anything! Sakura-chan was cold, and you weren't there to keep her warm! So I gave her my jacket, because you told me to look after her, you jackass! If anyone is at fault here, it's you!"

"Oh really now? How does the Hyuuga woman feel about you being so forthcoming with someone other than her?"

"Oi, keep Hinata-chan outta this, you asshat!"

They continued back and forth all night, bickering like children into the early hours as Sakura hummed softly to herself in contentment. She had missed this. Good food, good company, her teammates fighting good-naturedly over trivial nonsense. This was what it meant to be alive inside.

* * *

Sakura shivered as she deposited her house keys on the kitchen landing, hastily making her way over to the heater to warm the apartment up. Sasuke followed after her example, debating on slipping out of his boots first when his lover made a sound stuck between surprise and excitement.

"Sakura?" He called out to her, abandoning the idea of getting comfortable altogether in lieu of finding his pink haired girlfriend.

She was standing in the middle of the room, a sizeable box in her hands. It was relatively thin, but long, at least a ruler's length from top to bottom, and it was spattered with miscellaneous colours upon its surface. Said woman cast her gaze between him and the package in her palms, and an idea unravelled behind her emerald irises. Before he could even question the contents of the mysterious package, Sakura had slipped out of sight, rummaging through her kitchen draws until a loud cheer erupted from her parted lips.

She returned a few moments later, a lighter in hand as she shuffled him towards the balcony door at the opposite side of the room. Her apartment was smaller than the rest on the block, but it made up for it with a large alcove that overlooked the village in such a way that when the first light of dawn touched the waters of the lake beyond, she was there to see it stain the sky a haunting shade of pinkish red. Even Sasuke had been moved by it the first time they had greeted the morning together. He had never thought the world could look so prismatic, so eerily striking.

So much like Sakura that it had become a habitual ritual for him to gaze up at the rising sun and think of her whenever she was not by his side.

"Hold on a second, Sasuke-kun." Sakura said softly, afraid to shatter the tranquillity of the night around them as she fiddled with the box and pulled out two thin sticks that vaguely resembled incense.

Recognition filtered into Sasuke's dark eyes as Sakura tried and failed to set them alight with her lighter. The stubborn sputtering of the lighting mechanism indicated that there was no fuel left to ignite a flaming spark, and the look of utter despair on Sakura's face was priceless. Chuckling softly to himself, Sasuke indulged her whimsy, taking hold of one of the sparklers and blowing a thin wisp of fire from between his parted lips. He no longer needed to sign to do that much.

The orange glow of the sparking light illuminated Sakura's pretty features as she grinned up at him, gently taking the sparkler from his palm and handing him another.

"Really?" Sasuke intoned with a husky laugh soon after, noting the glimmer of enthusiasm in Sakura's eyes as she nodded fervently in his direction.

"Yes please, Sasuke-kun! I've been wanting to do this with you for years! Don't spoil my fun! Naruto gave these to me to share with someone I love, and obviously that person is you." Sakura quipped chirpily, her cheeks abashedly pink as she looked up at him through her eyelashes.

Sasuke sighed, breath warming into another orange ember that set the remaining sparkler alight. He quirked an eyebrow at her as she laughed her glee into the void, her green eyes golden in the light as she leaned against the railing of her balcony and spun her arm around in front of her; spelling out letters that quickly vanished into the darkness, never to return.

_I—l—o—v—e—y—o—u. _

Sasuke smiled, slipping the sparkler in his sole hand into her empty palm. Sakura's gaze snapped to him at her side, mouth falling open to protest—only to be silenced when he cupped her cheek and brushed his lips against hers in the sweetest of kisses.

Their first.

The sparklers fizzled out, but their love never did.

* * *

**Ending Remarks: **_Fun fluff times. Until tomorrow._

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	25. Bubble Bath

**Author's Note: **_Keeping on top of this is harder than I thought. Keep the reviews coming guys. I need all the help I can get. ¬_¬_

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**_Melt the Mistletoe_**

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**_._**

**Twenty-Five: **Bubble Bath

**_._**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura_**

**_Categories: Romance_**

**_Rating: T (for implied sexual situations, fluff)_**

* * *

**.**

Flushed and breathing heavily, Sakura sunk tiredly against the sturdy frame of her raven haired lover, limbs limp as she struggled to cement herself within reality once more. The heat of the steaming water around her did little to stave off her intense desire to slip into a fitful sleep, but her consciousness remained transfixed to the sight of rivulets of—sweat? Water? —sliding deliciously down Sasuke's pectorals.

His breathing was also uncharacteristically affected, ragged and deep as he sucked in another mouthful of air to stymie the exhaustion once and for all.

It never ceased to amaze her that he, one of the strongest shinobi in history to date, could become so flustered in an intimate act that hardly required the stamina of a full-fledged battle; but there you had it. The panting mess before her was sold proof of this fact. Besides, his endurance always far exceeded her own, so she could hardly complain. Or she _could_, because when she was ready to toss in the towel and succumb to slumber under every other instance they had revelled in, he would always find another way to have her; and as much as she proclaimed to hate it, in reality it filled her to the brim with unadulterated love, for he wanted her always.

Sasuke shifted slightly, soapy water sloshing around them as he tucked her petite frame between his legs, content to nuzzle affectionately into her hair as they revelled in the afterglow of their lovemaking. He was sated and altogether warm, and Sakura felt her heart stutter inside of her chest insistently as he murmured unintelligible nothings into her temple, his lips brushing against the sweaty skin as the heated liquid around them settled once more.

"… Feels good." He whispered softly, dark eyes falling to a close as his beautiful features morphed into something akin to genuine sweetness.

Sakura felt her cheeks darken with a rosy blush, the insinuations not lost on her after the last half an hour of indecent recreational fun they had shared. Her sparkling green irises sought his out, the top of her head knocking insistently against his chin until he inclined his gaze toward her—sooty eyelashes sticking to the skin at the hollows of his obsidian eyes as he met her stare with equal intensity.

"What does…?" The pinkette hummed quietly, a gentle lull falling between them as he pressed his lips against the little purple diamond in the centre of her forehead.

"You." He replied simply, nonplussed by the weight of his statement as he curled his sole arm around her lithe shoulders until he was cupping the base of her neck with calloused fingertips.

Sakura's heart, a pounding mess, could only throb heatedly in response, pumping enough blood into her pretty face to make her pass out. He was honestly too sweet for his own good sometimes.

She giggled then, the sound a honeyed birdsong to Sasuke's ears as she pressed her mouth to his jaw, leaving a careful butterfly kiss against the defined ridge as she curled her fingers into his chin length locks and massaged the base of his skull with practiced precision. His head lolled back into her palms, in a gesture of implicit and unwavering trust that made her Inner melt.

She could easily paralyse him, or worse yet, take his life before he even knew that it had happened—being a medical ninja as well as a kunoichi trained in the anatomy of the human body meant that that was to be expected.

But she could never even begin to think of ever doing something so inconceivable, least of all to him.

He was the love of her life, her soul mate; such a notion would see her taking her own life a million times over before she ever laid a hand on him in such a fashion.

Even so, Sasuke placed every fibre of his being, every molecule of trust he had in his body, in her capable hands, because he loved her—and he knew that she would never hurt him without intention.

He groaned, the tension in his frame loosening within his aching muscles as she poured a generous dose of her healing chakra into his system. Her breath hitched when he fingered the choppy ends of her hair, the very tips of his fingers finding their mark against the erogenous zones where her skull lengthened out into the graceful arch of her neck; raising the hairs all over her body as consequence of his ministrations.

"You feel… not so bad either." Sakura quipped with a crooked smile his way, and Sasuke chuckled, hand pulling her in so that he could fold her up against him properly.

A comfortable silence fell over them; Sakura's cheek pressing languidly into his shoulder whilst his was slanted gently atop the crest of her head. They were, in that idyllic moment, content beyond words.

And just like a mirrored reflection of their love, their bodies melded into a seamless ripple of colour atop the steaming bath water.

* * *

**Ending Remarks:** _I finally managed to write a short one, as drabbles are meant to be! Please let me know what you thought! See you tomorrow!_

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	26. Journey

**Author's Note:** _I apologise for not updating for so long. I had a good friend of mine staying with me for a week, so I haven't had any time for myself since my last chapter. I hope this makes up for it._

* * *

**_Melt the Mistletoe_**

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**.**

**Twenty-Six:** Journey

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke x Uchiha Sakura_**

**_Categories: Romance, Fluff_**

**_Rating: K_**

* * *

**.**

Sakura's heart leapt into her mouth as Sasuke pressed her against a tree, arm curling around her shoulders and chest flattened across hers as he buried her in swathes of black fabric. The natural blackness that shrouded them was permeated only very slightly with the illumination of the distant moon above, white light softly peeking through heavy clouds as a stretch of lapis lazuli swallowed the world in indefinite darkness overhead.

It was a beautiful night, but it was spoiled by the presence of enemy ninja, who had been alerted to their presence by an accidental stumble courtesy of the mortified pinkette.

She had been trained better than that, but suddenly being consumed by twilight had thrown off her senses, and disorientation had set in. She had trodden upon a renegade twig, the resonant _'snap!'_ echoing forebodingly in the air around them and rising their hackles with an urgency that had not existed until then.

The raven haired Uchiha had acted quickly, using his body as a shield that obscured their figures from prying eyes and blurred them into another aspect of the scenery that Sakura was currently pressed up against.

She sucked in a harsh breath, cheeks unwittingly darkening as his chin length locks tickled against the skin of her forehead; the fact that he had cocooned himself so thoroughly around her, so that not even her hair could be spotted through his inky tresses, had her insides twisting with delightful warmth. Even if the situation was as dire as it could have been, the pink haired medic nin had to marvel over her ability to completely overlook the severity of her mistakes whenever Sasuke moved in so close to her. To protect her.

He hadn't even thought for a second about his own safety; he knew that she could defend herself better than anyone else, wouldn't have anyone else watch his back in battle because he had never once questioned her strength.

He believed in her more than anyone else, and yet he still felt compelled to shield her from harm—and given the fact that she was his most important person, there wasn't a chance in hell that anyone would get the drop on her if he was there to keep her safe.

Sasuke had asked her to accompany him on this journey of his because he had wanted her by his side—for where else could she ever be this safe, if not with the man who loved her? And given his reputation, there were very few more competent than he was to keep her in one beautiful piece. Sakura bit her lip, cloaking her chakra whilst she drank in his profile as he glanced askance in order to survey their surroundings.

The moonlight was made to emphasise his quiet perfection, Sakura was sure, for no one had ever looked quite so ethereal in their beauty before her in the dead of a winter's night. She couldn't believe how lucky she had been in love. It had been a hellish ordeal to endure—bringing him home, teaching him how to love again—but it had been more than worth her years of desperate longing and patience.

For he could never love anyone more than he did her, and that knowledge only fanned the flames of her burning adoration even hotter and wilder than ever before.

There were about ten nukenin floating about the area, their chakra signs a literal beacon indicating their closeness as Sasuke's irises bled into crimson and lilac.

He could easily deal with them, and in any other situation so too could Sakura.

But as his gaze flickered back to her, eyes searching her body for any wounds that he might have missed in this compromising scenario, he couldn't help but focus his intense gaze on the slight swell of her tummy; his clan's kekkei genkai displaying the colours of their growing infant in brilliant hues of white chakra. He wasn't about to risk his wife or his child's lives in a fight that could quickly become ugly, no matter how painfully aware Sasuke was about how talented his lover was on the battlefield.

No way in hell.

Sakura pouted up at him, scowling prettily at the stern set to his plush lips as he held her gaze with an unwavering force that was not lost on her.

He merely rose a challenging eyebrow her way when she flattened her palms over his pectorals, his own hand trailing across her upper back until he was cupping her cheek with his sole appendage. His fingertips left a calloused trail of pinpricks in their wake as he brushed the stray strands of hair away from her forehead, his expression openly sweetened with affection as he bent down to her level and pressed his lips to the purple diamond in the centre of her forehead.

Her heart stuttered, cheeks stained with a tender blush as Sasuke swept his thumb over her cheek.

He pulled away, holding her gaze for a moment longer before a pulse of chakra filled his eyes, the rapid spinning of his sharingan's tomoes the only warning Sakura had before he warped her away into one of his alternate dimensions.

Now safely tucked away from the threat of looming danger, Sasuke unsheathed his katana with deliberate slowness, relishing in the sight of the silver moonlight dancing against the sharpened blade before he moved out into the open.

He was the epitome of darkness itself, skin illuminated with the promise of death as he shifted his stance into one of action.

And with that he charged, the calculating gleam in his eyes softened with the love and the devotion he had for his growing family as he stepped forward into the light as their protector once more.

* * *

**Ending Remarks: **_I have terrible writer's block. Please review and help me out of this slump I'm in._

-x-**R** _i_ n-x-


	27. Proposal

**Author's Note: **_How to write well; something I have never quite been able to grasp. Thanks for the reviews._

**Playlist: **_Kimi ga matte iru kara_ (**_unplugged_**) by GACKT.

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**_Melt the Mistletoe _**

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**_._**

**Twenty-Seven:** Proposal

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura _**

**_Categories: Romance_**

**_Rating: T+ (for implied smut)_**

* * *

**.**

Sakura exhaled shakily, green eyes focused on the medical text in her hands as she leaned back against the warm body behind her, figure melding seamlessly against theirs as she turned each page with a dedication that had her guest transfixed.

Sasuke's exposed iris bore into the back of her head with hawkish intensity, revelling in every moment shared in his lover's company as he absorbed her tranquillity into his own being in comfortable silence. They had long since gotten past the initial awkwardness of their relationship, and now they could be completely at ease in one another's presence; so much so that Sakura didn't feel the need to constantly entertain him when she had other things she needed to do, and he was pleased by the change in her demeanour.

He didn't want her to let her work ethic slide because of him, as he knew it was just as important as he was to her (well that would be a lie, because Sakura valued him far more than what he expected of her.)

So being able to relax with her in her room, without the added stressor of physical intimacy, was a blessing in disguise, because even just cuddling like this was golden.

It had become somewhat of a routine for them, every time he returned to her from another one of his soul-searching journeys for redemption, for the two of them to hole up in her apartment for the rest of the day and just curl up in each other's arms. At first it had been a strange exercise in self-restraint for Sasuke, who until that point didn't have a lot of experience being that close to another person.

But as time had shifted between them, and as their relationship blossomed into something more substantial, the raven haired Uchiha had become quite attached to this aspect of their bond. It reassured him that she was really there, and that nothing of their love was falsified in any way. And in a world where darkness was all he had ever known, the light of her existence was a beacon of hope for his weary eyes—which had lost sight of everything good and beautiful in the world until they had found her amidst the smog once more.

This time, he swore to himself, he would not let her go as he had before. He valued her too much to ever even begin to consider it, and being the selfish man that he was, he realised that he would never have it any other way.

Sasuke inhaled the soft scent of her hair, noting the sweetened quality of green tea and peppermint that wafted into his nostrils as he rested his chin upon the crest of her head; sole arm winding around her tummy from behind so that he could pull her closer to his prone form. Sakura allowed the transition with a smile, butterflies churning precariously in her stomach as her heart fluttered with repressed feeling.

Honestly, even after all this time, he still managed to make her insides melt into a stuttering mess with the simplest of touches, and her cheeks flushed when he nuzzled against her temple as if reading her thoughts.

Biting her lip to stave off the urge to sigh dreamily in his direction, Sakura's bright green eyes sought his out. A long raven bang hung down half of his face, soft as silk as it brushed against the hollow beneath her closest eye, and the pinkette marvelled over how much he had changed in the time that they had been together. He had allowed his once short hair to grow out, and it was stuck between sticking up and fully flattening itself out.

Never the less, it added a layer of mystery to his appearance, for he had yet to share with her his sudden desire to abandon the style of his perpetual youth, and the pink haired med nin could only stare in constant awe as another inch lengthened out against his soft pallor.

Sasuke met her curious stare with an enigmatic gaze that was as gentle as it was confounding, something deeply profound weighing down the intensity of his lingering glance as he furled his fingers against the thinly veiled flesh of her waist. Sakura's mouth went dry as he fingered the borrowed shirt she was currently wearing (courtesy of her ridiculously attractive boyfriend, of course), her cheeks darkening into a flattering shade of scarlet as she pressed her lips against his jaw and brushed her nose against the smooth stretch of flesh she found there.

Sasuke's lips twitched with a smirk that was almost a smile, and his hand fell away from her hip a moment later, only to grasp the open book spread across her tiny palms and pry it from her person.

Sakura vaguely noted that he set it aside on her bedside table, mesmerised by the devilish quality that had stolen across his aristocratic features as he made a point of closing the cover with an audible '_thud_!'

His hand returned to her then, fingers making their mark against the smooth planes of her exposed thighs before he finally trailed them further down; until he was slowly lifting the baggy fabric of his shirt over her head.

She melted against him, body compliant to his every movement as she allowed him to remove her only defence against the cold, his own body quickly enveloping her in his warmth as he pressed her back into the mattress beneath them.

Cuddling was nice, but having Sakura's legs wrapped tautly around his naked waist was beyond compare, and as he gave her more reasons to be perpetually flustered betwixt twisted bedsheets, Sasuke couldn't help but want the world to stop for them so that he could imprint the memory of her body wrapped around his upon his mind forever.

* * *

Whilst enamoured in his travels to other Hidden Villages and townships around the globe, Sasuke stumbled upon a rarity that surprised him. Tucked away in an unsuspecting location within Hoshigakure, there was a little book store that boasted a collection of texts and novels that were obscure enough to make any normal person walk past them without ever turning to look back.

Sakura was an avid lover and collector of the weird and unconventional; Sasuke knew this because he had read every book on her bookshelves over the course of the last few years while he was living with her, and so he was naturally attuned to the sort of drivel that she read on a day to day basis.

There were the obligatory romances of course, but more or less stories of bizarre adventures wrapped up in eclectic meanings too profound for even him to grasp were a favoured choice for her, and it was the promise of her delighted smile that had him step into the threshold of the tinny store.

A flame of determination fuelling his every step as he scoured shelf after shelf of antique novels in the hopes of finding the one he was seeking. His hand stopped mid-search, as if compelled to do so by a force beyond his control, and he fingered the lettering on the spine of the leather bound book with nostalgic eyes.

_The Tale of Vega and Altair_ stared back at him beseechingly, and Sasuke took a fond moment to recall the sweetness of his mother's expression as she poured all of her attention into divulging the contents of the story to him as a small child.

He distantly recalled the bittersweet expression etched upon her lovely features as she held the book in front of him, across his lap as she dutifully turned each page and allowed his imagination to wander with every word that left her parted lips. It was a story of love that defied all odds, even amidst the tragedy of the lovers' separation, and there was something in that sentiment alone that had Sasuke pulling the book from its resting place and flicking through its pages.

He drank in the memory of his mother's soothing voice as his own eyes skimmed over words that were but a fading reminder of her gentle grace, and he knew then that this was the one he had been looking for.

He placed a satchel of ryo onto the counter, not even waiting for the cashier to count the overabundant amount as he sauntered out of the shop and back onto the road again, novel tucked safely in his carry bag as he continued on his travels home.

* * *

It was on another such day that Sakura was curled up against Sasuke's side that he handed the book over to her in contemplative silence.

Green eyes widening at the unexpected treat—for it was a rare event indeed whenever Sasuke chose to present her with a gift—the pink haired kunoichi smiled softly up at him, kissing him softly as she voiced her gratitude with a quiet "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

He hummed in response, pressing his lips to her forehead and nestling against her temple as she opened the beautifully bound novel to begin reading, only to pause when she noted a handwritten script in the very front of the pristine cover. It was eloquently neat in a way that made her envious, the cursive as refined as text could ever get and so very Sasuke that her heart stuttered in response. He had sent her many letters over the years since the war had ended, and she would know his writing anywhere.

Gnawing on her bottom lip, Sakura opened the passage in the front of the novel fully, eyes taking in every word with mounting anticipation. He rarely shared his thoughts with her, at least not with words, and so this was a moment to cherish. It was a hugely considerate notion for him to entertain her with, and so she treated it with the awe and admiration that it deserved.

_For the woman who is my everything—_

_May our love be as everlasting as theirs is._

Sakura's heart stopped beating for a split second, heated warmth filling her eyes with a searing burn reminiscent of tears as she hastily blinked them away with a tightening throat. She glanced up at Sasuke, who wore a kind smile on his face as he brushed her hair away from her face with his calloused fingertips. He bore the brunt of his embarrassment well, allowing only a slight flush of pink to touch the tips of his ears as he held her gaze with a sincereness that made the pinkette squirm on the spot.

"… I wouldn't have anyone else but you by my side, Sakura."

Said woman bit her trembling lip, pulse roaring in her ears and blood rushing into her face as he pressed their foreheads together with a gentle '_thump_!' She buried her hands in his hair, giving him a watery smile that spoke volumes as she merely murmured a soft sound of acquiescence in response to his resolute statement.

Sakura let the book fall to a close, the final sentence left imprinted upon its surface by her lover forever etched into her heart as she held him as only she could.

_The rebirth of the Uchiha starts with you._

* * *

**Ending Remarks:** _UGH FUCK WRITER'S BLOCK OKAY—_

_Please leave me a review! Consider it my Christmas present! _

_Hopefully I should be able to churn out the next chapter in time for tomorrow, but if not, then I wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. _

_Thanks for the unwavering support!_

-x-**R **_i _n-x-


	28. Wedding (Part I)

**Author's Note:** _Merry Christmas minna-san! I hope you have a wonderful day spent with those you love. To all of you who have reviewed this story to date, this one's for you. (:_

_As a sidenote: I have links to the wedding attire on my profile. Feel free to check them out at your leisure. _

**Playlist:** Setsugekka by GACKT; Senya (Itachi's Despair; Naruto OST); Sumire Hi to Tomo Ni, Everlasting, Lacrima, Remember the Kiss, and So Much Love for You by KOKIA.

* * *

**_Melt the Mistletoe_**

* * *

**.**

**Twenty-Eight:** Wedding (Part I)

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke x Uchiha Sakura; Yamanaki Ino; Haruno Kizashi x Haruno Mebuki; Uzumaki Naruto x Uzumaki Hinata, Hatake Kakashi—with miscellaneous appearances from the main cast._**

**_Categories: Romance, Humour, Family_**

**_Rating: T (for language and implied sexual situations)_**

* * *

**.**

"So how does it feel, knowing that in a few days you'll be _Uchiha-san_ to the general populace instead of just Haruno-san, Forehead Girl?" Ino quipped with a bombastic grin Sakura's way, turquoise irises sparkling with pent up excitement as she leaned over to pinch her best friend on the cheek. Sprawled over the blonde's bed, wedding related items scattered all around them, the two women were frantically throwing together the final touches to the ceremony that was to come.

Nervous butterflies erupted in the pinkette's tummy as she mulled over the question with a pensive smile of her own on her face.

"To be perfectly honest? I'm a little terrified, Ino Pig." Sakura exclaimed after a few moments of silence had passed between them, viridian eyes shimmering with raw emotion as she tried to put a label on the feelings that were currently surging throughout her bloodstream. Yamanaka Ino, for the first time in her life, was absolutely gobsmacked, rendered utterly speechless at the sudden revelation from Sakura.

It had been her life's ambition to marry Sasuke—at first merely because of childish infatuation, but now because she was so desperately in love with him that she couldn't imagine a life without him in it.

Many women in the village had felt the same, fantasising about the day that he would finally look their way and make them his own; hell, even Ino had.

But the main difference between her and the rest of the gaggling fucking idiots that had swarmed after him was that she had had the smarts to get the fuck out before she fell in too deep, and now she was finally in a happy and relatively fruitful relationship with the brooding male's artsy teammate Sai.

_And let's be real here_, the blonde thought with a wry smirk in Sakura's direction, one which went unnoticed by the troubled woman on the receiving end of it.

_If any woman out there is worthy of having his heart in the palm of their hot little hand, it's Sakura. She's given her everything into loving and supporting him unconditionally, even when everyone else had virtually given up on him. Her unwavering faith and devotion is finally being rewarded, and it's about fucking time too! _

Ino's inner commentary ebbed away in the wake of the look of mild apprehension on the pink haired kunoichi's face, and she knew then that she needed to get herself together so that she could help ease Sakura's rapidly mounting anxieties.

"What's there to be afraid of, Sakura? Commitment is one hundred percent guaranteed, because you've always had your heart set on him, and he's never shown the remotest inkling of interest in anyone other than you, period. So what's the matter?" Her voice was firm and rife with conviction, teal eyes narrowing in expectancy as she held her friend's gaze with a seriousness that was not lost on the pinkette.

Sakura sighed, running a hand through her rosy locks as she contemplated the inquiry. Her hair had grown to substantial lengths in the wake of the upcoming nuptials, and she had spent the last couple of months with Ino treating it with expensive conditioners in order to have it thick, soft and luscious for the eventual elaborate up-do that her mother and her best friend had both insisted upon.

"You've had your hair short for long enough, my love!" Haruno Mebuki had chirped jubilantly when Sakura had dropped by her parent's home after the engagement had been publicly announced, green eyes narrowing into a venomous promise of harm should she defy her will.

"The one wish this old woman desires for her daughter's wedding day is that she has beautiful long locks that I can make into a work of art!" Ino, of course, had completely advocated on her mama's behalf, leading to the present day scenario of her with irritatingly lengthy tresses that begged to be cut off. Sakura had adjusted to life with hair that barely brushed her shoulders at most, so having a cascade of pink hanging off of her head like spindly threads of deadweight was hardly a picnic to endure.

Never the less, she had enjoyed the feeling of becoming more feminine towards the lead up to her—_their_, she internally corrected herself—big day, and had been both amused and flustered by the amount of attention she had been on the receiving end of because of it.

And not all of it solely from her husband-to-be, either.

Sasuke had not been pleased by that in the least, a perpetual scowl marring his handsome features as he burned vicious holes into the eyes of those who dared look upon her for more than a lingering reprieve. Sakura had been secretly overjoyed by the evident jealousy he had been openly sharing with the world as their wedding day closed in on them both, his possessiveness only growing with the passage of time until he refused to let her leave his side unless she had to work in the hospital.

A part of him had to have been a little bit paranoid that she would realise her true worth and leave him behind for another man—those were the not so eloquent words of Naruto, who had been all too pleased to take the mickey out of his best friend without a moment's hesitation—but Sakura just laughed off such stupidity.

No man outside of Sasuke was worth a damn. He was the only one for her. She wouldn't be marrying him otherwise.

"… I guess… there's so much pressure now that he's asked me to, you know…" Sakura trailed off, unsure of how to continue that particular sentence without embarrassing herself. Thankfully, Ino had no such reservations.

"Get married and make babies? That's a given Sakura. That's what Sasuke-kun's wanted since, well, he lost it all. He wants a family."

The pinkette flinched under the nonplussed expression etched into her blonde bestie's countenance, her lip becoming a victim to the whims of her teeth once more as she gnawed upon it with a tenacity that surprised her.

"I know that much, Ino. Reviving the Uchiha clan, it's a huge responsibility. I just… what if I'm no good as a wife or a mother? How can I be sure that I won't fuck this up for Sasuke-kun, when it's everything that he wants in the world? I'm still too young and naïve; we _both_ are. Can we really say that we're both ready to become parents sometime down the line, with everything that he's suffered through? I don't doubt for a second that he will be a wonderful father, but… Am I good enough to stand next to him as an Uchiha…?" Sakura murmured softly, so quietly that Ino had to strain to hear it all, but the look of empathy and understanding on her face quickly reassured the pink haired woman that she would not need to reiterate it once more.

The blonde Yamanaka sighed, leaning back and gazing up at the ceiling overhead for a moment in careful contemplation before she returned her determined gaze Sakura's way.

"You are the world's biggest moron, Forehead Girl."

It was blunt and as deadpanned as anything she had ever heard from the beauty in front of her, and Sakura's mouth fell open in surprise when she leaned forward and cradled her hands within her own.

The pinkette marvelled over the calloused textures of their palms, indicating the amount of hard work and dedication they had put into their individual training pursuits even as she was fixed with a reprimanding glower from her pouty female friend.

"Sasuke-kun is in love with _you_. He wants to marry _you_. He wants to start a family with _you_. He wants no one else by his side but _you_. What else is there for you to know that you aren't aware of already? Don't sell your future hubby short, you fool. He chose the most amazing, beautiful and intelligent woman in this goddamned village for his wife, and no amount of moaning from you will ever change that." Ino quipped sagely, holding a finger up and pursing Sakura's lips as they parted to protest.

"Hush, I'm not finished. Sasuke-kun is and never was an idiot like Naruto. He knows a gem when he sees it, and he swept you off your feet because he doesn't want anyone else to have you but himself. _So what_ if you're both young, Sakura? In this line of work, we aren't promised a tomorrow. The minute you began to ovulate, you were an adult. We've already exceeded the age where marriage is acceptable, so suck it up, spread your legs and fuck already! And I think a kid is just what Sasuke-kun needs to lighten the fuck up and learn to actually be a little more agreeable in public, yeah?"

Ino grinned then, face the epitome of mirth as she raised one of her hands in order to stroke the pink haired kunoichi's cheek lovingly.

"Out of all of the women in the world, he chose _you_, Sakura. How is that not enough? You are his _entire world_, and you are the _only one_ worthy to stand by his side as both his equal _and_ his wife. I think that's why he proposed to you, y'know. Because you've proven yourself to him time and time again, and now he wants to take a chance with you."

Sakura felt her heart tighten in her chest, eyes pleasantly warm with the threat of tears as she smiled weakly in Ino's direction. Honestly, she knew just what to say to make her feel better.

"Thank you, Ino. I needed that."

It was all she could do to keep from crying, but she blinked back her tears with admirable willpower, and squeezed the hand that was still holding hers with all of the force she could bear to muster without actually hurting her blonde comrade in the process.

Said woman merely scoffed loudly, waving off her gratitude with an errant hand as she flopped back down upon her mattress and sent Sakura a meaningful glance.

"It's what best friends are for. Besides, the only thing you need to be worrying about is the _wedding night_. You still haven't slept together yet, have you?"

Sakura's cheeks darkened considerably, her blush touching the roots of her hair as she yanked her hand back from Ino's; only to bury her flushed face in her open palms moments later.

"Why does it always come back to my sex life with you, Ino Pig?" Sakura moaned despairingly, her wailing rising an octave when the younger woman began to surreptitiously fondle the more intimate regions along her own body in demonstration.

_More like an attempt to embarrass me, the bitch!_ Inner Sakura seethed vehemently, cracking her metaphysical knuckles even as Sakura peeked up at Ino with violence brewing in her emerald eyes.

"_Because_, Forehead Girl, you need to know how to proceed with a man like Sasuke-kun, who is about as experienced as a brick wall with intimate affairs, I'm sure." Ino chimed mockingly, her tone betraying her amusement with the situation even as Sakura's face lit up like a vermillion Christmas tree.

"I would know, since Sai is, well… let's just say the first time was incredibly awkward, for both of us."

"For both of you?" Sakura intoned, interest piqued as she dropped her hands to fiddle with the cushion spread across her lap. The blonde laughed airily, expression a little timider than before as she recalled what had to have been the most disastrous first time in the history of firsts to date.

"Oh my god, _where_ to begin? Well, Sai, as usual, was taking the back seat in everything, so of course I had to take the lead. We took a stroll, had a home-cooked meal at mine, talked—and can you imagine how difficult that is with a man so uptight he makes Sasuke look like an extrovert—and then _bam!_ I made my move, strip teasing the fuck out of him, and all he could do was sit there and ask me why I was taking my clothes off! We had been dating for _two years_ already, Forehead! How could I be _any more_ obvious?"

Sakura burst into peals of laughter as Ino ranted endlessly, detailing the more gruesome aspects of their first coupling and comparing it to 'a slippery dance with a dead fish beneath me,' the pinkette nearly busting a lung from laughing so hard.

"See why I'm asking now? Your first time should be magical, not the definition of a disaster!" Ino shrieked manically, eyes wide and unseeing as she rolled onto her side so that she was closer to Sakura's stilled form.

A tide of hesitance washed over the pink haired medical ninja's features as she pondered over whether or not she should spill the more… intimate details… of her relationship with her best friend, as she knew what a big-mouth Ino could be; especially when it came to the sex lives of others.

Specifically, when it directly involved _the_ Uchiha Sasuke, every woman's "wet dreamboat" fantasy actualised.

"W-Well… it's not like we haven't, um… touched each other or anything…" Sakura trailed off for the second time that evening, stuttering through her blush until she could say no more.

The blonde shot up at that statement, eyes wider than saucers as she drank in Sakura's growing mortification with a shit-eating grin on her pretty face.

"SPILL EVERY BEAN IN THIS COFFEE BAG YOU'VE BEEN HIDING FROM ME, FOREHEAD, AND MAKE IT SNAPPY!"

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Sakura did just that, in as little detail as she could possibly manage without passing out from abasement, fanning her cheeks furiously when she was finally done with her recounts. Ino herself looked pleasantly flushed, lips parted wordlessly as she gaped a little in the pinkette's direction. And when she finally found the right words to say, they came out as a breathy whisper of admiration.

"Well who woulda thought that Sasuke-kun had all of that passion tucked away inside of him. Hot damn you're a lucky bitch, Sakura!"

Said woman could only bury her face in the pillow across her lap and nod bashfully in response.

* * *

"Oi teme, you nervous about being a married man?" Naruto probed for the umpteenth time that day, drawing forth an exasperated sigh from Sasuke's weary lips.

Honestly! He had only just returned from one of the more sadistic missions Kakashi had deigned him worthy of carrying out, and he was frankly exhausted.

Sakura was nowhere to be seen, but that was to be expected. She had written to him a month ago, detailing the stress she had been put under by her mother and her loudmouthed best friend (sound familiar?) to get their wedding details all sorted out, and thus she had to be spending her time with either one of them. It wasn't an issue for him. He at least knew that she was safe, and well out of the sight of those of whom would like to have a crack at her before she was finally no longer up for any kind of grabs. That was all he had needed.

_Unfortunately_, that left him with the unpleasant burden of having to entertain his idiotic best friend whilst his own wife was spending some quality time with her family back in the Hyuuga compound.

Fabulous.

"I have no reason to be." Sasuke returned brusquely, throwing Naruto an annoyed side-glance as he slurped away at his tonkotsu ramen.

It was his sixth bowl. How he did it, Sasuke would never know.

The hyperactive knucklehead, whose reputation for practical jokes had since died down as he had matured into the life of a happily married man, paused for thought, sucking in another mouthful of noodles and chewing thoughtfully before he turned wizened blue eyes Sasuke's way.

"And why's that 'ttebayo?"

Sasuke paused mid-swig of his bottle of sake, dark eyes hooded as he caught a glimpse of bubble-gum pink and green dancing through the recesses of his mind, as if taunting him and his desire to be near her.

"Because it's Sakura." Sasuke murmured after a moment's hesitance, trying to find the right way of phrasing his feelings before he came up empty.

There weren't enough words in the world that could explain it, so the raven haired Uchiha was content to let those three hang between the two of them as they continued to eat their dinner in comfortable silence. Naruto hummed softly to himself, a kind smile on his lips as he thought of the pink haired woman who had touched their lives so deeply with her light and her existence, and he could only nod in agreement.

"Because it's Sakura-chan… huh…"

* * *

The day of the wedding arrived, and the traditional custodians of the Uchiha clan ceremony were to be observed in full by the matriarch-to-be.

The hand-crafted kimono was absolutely divine, made of the finest silk money could buy and fitted to perfection to her lithe frame like it was born to be worn as her second skin for the rest of her life. A soft pastel pink and white textured fabric curled over the slip that was wrapped tautly around her body, a starker pink obi tying the kimono in place as a transparent overcoat was slipped over her shoulders and adjusted against the material beneath it.

Delicate embroidered cherry blossoms—in pastel pinks, blues and whites—were stitched into its surface, up the sleeves and the hem, creating a stunning visual display upon her body as Sakura's mother finished adding the decorative pins and flowers into her hair.

She truly was a vision, and as Ino brought the white furisode cloak over to her, Sakura couldn't help but wonder if the woman staring back at her was the same person that Sasuke saw every day.

The stark reality of becoming his wife only really occurred to her when she caught a fleeting glimpse of the red and white fan on the back of the warm overcoat that her mother and Ino were currently helping her into. This was really happening.

An overwhelming tide of emotion swelled within her, and she had to fight back her tears in order to prevent her makeup from staining her cheeks.

"You are spring amidst winter, Sakura-chan. Oh my darling girl, you're so beautiful." Mebuki simpered with a tightening voice, tears reflected back at the pinkette through the mirror as her mother gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Sakura smiled tenderly in response, green eyes sparkling with nervous excitement at the prospect of what was to come.

Ino sent her a brilliant smile, giving her a light hug so as to avoid crinkling her attire, before she stepped away to get changed into her own gown.

"Good luck, Forehead Girl. I'll be right up there with you, so don't fret! I'll be back in twenty minutes, give or take, so don't you dare move an inch."

And then they were gone, leaving Sakura to her thoughts as she mused over her last moments as a Haruno.

* * *

If Sakura thought she had looked the part of an aspiring bride-to-be, then Sasuke… well, he was beyond anything she had ever imagined.

All in black, as was to be expected, but draped in silken finery that demonstrated the affluence and prestige of his ancestors, the raven haired Uchiha melted seamlessly into the crystalline winter's scenery around them.

His complexion was as soft and stark against the harshness of the fabric that concealed his skin from her as his expression was as he walked alongside her to the restructured temple; but he had never looked so tranquil, at peace, with himself.

Sakura shivered at the sudden blast of wind that skirted its way through the otherwise pristine garden they were walking through, pulling her from her musings and catching her fiancé's attention indefinitely.

His eyes were warm and expressive as ever, and as he wrapped his larger hand around hers and looped their fingers together in order to share some sense of warmth with her from his sole hand, Sakura could only blush demurely in response.

Her palm curled around his to reassert his presence alongside her, as they made their way toward their future.

Together.

* * *

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

_**…****TBC…**_

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**Ending Remarks:** _So that is Part I done and dusted. I will try to get the next half up for you later on today. Please bear with me as I attempt to tackle __**the wedding night**__ with my intense writer's block. OTL_

_Please leave a review and let me know what you thought. Merry Christmas!_

_Until later, I guess. (Please don't hold me to this unless I actually update, because I am a shameless fucking liar okay guys. ¬/^/¬_

-x-**R**_ i_ n-x-


	29. Memory

**Author's Note:** _This idea has been bothering me for a while now, so I will be posting a brief intermission between Part I and II of Wedding in order to get it down. Thank you for all of the lovely reviews. I really appreciate it._

* * *

_**Melt the Mistletoe **_

* * *

**Twenty-Nine:** Memory

**_._**

**_Characters: Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto—featuring Uzumaki Karin, Hozuki Suigetsu and "Bipolar" Juugo. _**

**_Categories: Humour, Friendship, Implied Romance_**

**_Rating: T+ (for light sexual themes and language)_**

* * *

_**.**_

"Welcome to Icha-cha, young master! How may I be—" Sakura's sweet, chirpy voice withered and died in her throat as she raised her gaze from the floor; her subservient posturing stiffening with ripples of mortification as she locked gazes with brilliant cerulean.

At first glance he was but a man with blue eyes. Nothing special. Nothing uncommon. But what really raised her hackles, made her skin crawl with abasement, was the distinctive blonde hair, bronzed complexion and unmistakeable whiskers adorning his cheeks staring right back at her. Her shock was easily mirrored on Uzumaki Naruto's features, his eyes wide and jaw slack as he took in the sight of his pink haired teammate draped in less than modest lingerie, done up like a doll and exposed in a manner that left very little to the imagination. Sakura sucked in a harsh breath, colour rising to her cheeks and spreading across the back of her neck as she noted the flare of appreciation that flickered all too fleetingly through his sparkling irises.

The loud giggles of dancing women—dancing naked, of course—was drowned out only by pulsating music and the loud guffaws of the raucous male clientele that made up the majority of the populace, and Sakura wished that they were louder so that they could drown out the sound of her blood rushing into her head and her heartbeat stuttering into overdrive in her ears. Chancing a conspicuous glance to either side of her and finding that no unwanted attention was upon her, the pinkette quickly sauntered forward, ushering Naruto out of the entrance only to find her fingers curling around his jacket's front mere moments later.

"Just _what the fuck_ are you doing here, _Naruto_?" Sakura spat viciously, green eyes narrowed into slits as she sent him a withering glare that filled him with absolute dread.

His pulse quickened, and he hoped it was all purely out of fear rather than the fact that he had a rather delicious view of her exposed cleavage as she pushed her way into his personal space. He honestly hadn't expected her to be so well endowed, but it seemed like she went to painstaking lengths to disguise this fact, for it was an oversight that had him internally reeling in shock. Rapidly shaking his head to diffuse his thoughts from taking a more sinister turn, Naruto swallowed thickly, mouth suddenly unbearably dry as Sakura made a point of lifting him a little higher off of the ground than he would have ideally have liked.

"H-Hold on a second, Sakura-chan! L-Let me explain!" The blonde simpered weakly, tan cheeks a little paler with the constriction of his high-collar jacket around his neck. Huffing out an angry scoff, Sakura promptly dropped him to the ground, the satiny veil of the curtains at the entrance providing them with some coverage as she levelled him with a look rich with displeasure.

"Last time I checked, you were on a mission in Amegakure with Shikamaru's squad. How could you possibly end up all the way in Yu no Kuni?" Sakura exclaimed with a livid scowl his way; her naked hip jutting out as she folded her arms across her bust and stared up at him in such a fashion that Naruto felt like he was being chided by a school teacher once more.

"W-Well, I got a message from Kakashi-sensei when we finished up our recon in Ame. He said you needed backup on a… special circumstance mission… a-and I didn't question it because it's you, Sakura-chan. I'd do anything to keep you safe. But maybe it was better that I did, because obviously he didn't fill me in on the details on what you were actually doing here—" Sakura's snide snort cut him off, and Naruto met her steely gaze with nervous eyes. She was pissed, that was easy to see.

"Well obviously he wouldn't say anything, you moron. This is a top secret task. Only those on the official squad and the relevant higher authorities were given clearance to the nature of the assignment." Sakura stated firmly, crimson lips drawn into a thin line as she closed her eyes and exhaled softly, arms falling limply at her sides as she let her anger fizzle out into exasperation.

Of course Kakashi would pull a stunt like this.

He was fully aware that she could handle herself—she had proven herself more than once since the end of the war in all of her endeavours—but still sent Naruto as insurance none the less. Her heart warmed the tiniest bit at the thought. His concern was irritating but touching. The elder man had always been especially considerate towards her wellbeing, and given the circumstances surrounding his latest assignment, he saw it fit to send in the best possible backup available to her. She couldn't be angry with him, either of them, if they were only looking out for her greatest interests.

Naruto noted the softening of her features, and huffed out a soft sigh of relief. She wasn't about to beat him within an inch of his life anymore.

"But since you're here, I could do with the extra help. This one's a tricky nut to crack." Sakura quipped quietly, leaning in a little closer to the tall blonde when a group of men exited the seedy establishment, their drunken catcalls falling on deaf ears as they turned round a corner and disappeared from sight.

Naruto smiled sheepishly down at her prone form, cheeks alarmingly pink with a barely suppressed blush as he scratched the back of his neck with his prosthetic hand and gestured to some place over her shoulder with a jerky incline of his head.

"Yeah, well about that… You're gonna have to… kinda explain it to the whole group, 'ttebayo."

Sakura's eyebrow rose in response, the nippy bite of the air surprising considering the closeness of the onsen baths in the surrounding area. The Land of Steam was iconic for its hot springs, and for also being at the very heart of the war two years beforehand. One feature that was prevalent was the constant wintry chill that enshrouded the land in a perpetual cold-front, so it shouldn't have been that surprising to Sakura; but considering her nearly naked status, perhaps she was merely feeling it so intimately because of her lack of covering.

"Just how many shinobi did sensei think I was worth, Naruto? Honestly, that meddlesome old coot needs to have a little faith—" Sakura began with a start, voice petering out into a high pitched squeak when she turned around, only to be met with striking onyx and lavender irises and an imposing figure draped in swathes of thick black material towering over her.

Her mouth ran completely dry, eyes bulging out of her skull at the realisation that Uchiha Sasuke had emerged from the woodworks and was now standing before her.

"S-Sasuke-kun…? W-What…? I thought you were… _Huh_?" Sakura exclaimed nervously, heart pounding dangerously fast beneath her ribcage until she was sure that he could hear it rattling against the hard bone itself.

Her stutters gradually worsened the more intently he stared down at her, and she had to bite her lip to stop herself from rambling senselessly in his presence. She was beyond all words. But he always had that effect on her. His handsome visage betrayed nothing of his amusement regarding her sudden slip into a non-verbal coma, and he found it increasingly difficult to keep his gaze above the neckline with the way her chest rose and fell with every inhalation and exhalation. Normally it would not be a problem, because she was always dressed up to the chin in swathes of material that obscured her body from his view.

But in this moment, she was displayed very plainly and openly to the world in a matching set of negligee so revealing that it was almost surprising that her flesh wasn't falling out of the scant material altogether.

Highly inappropriate was the first thought that crossed his mind, because no one should put their body on display in such a fashion for perverts to feast upon to their liking. But the unsettling curl of gratification that unfurled in his gut was a reminder that he was still a man, and even though he held strong values and convictions regarding the fairer sex, he was not impervious to their thrall—especially when it happened to be his pink haired teammate on show. She had grown into adulthood beautifully, and it was a wonder that men weren't already falling over their own feet to please her.

Never the less, he had kept his thoughts close to himself, never showing even an inkling of interest out of respect for her as a person who was both admired and loved by all, and for all of the shit he had put her through in the past. He had to earn her trust back, fully and completely, before he could ever consider making his intentions known. Which was why he bit the inside of his cheek, grit his teeth, and fixed her with a semi-amused smirk that had her weak in the knees, eyes never straying from hers even as he rose a brow in her direction when a blast of wind pushed against her bared flesh.

"Feeling a bit chilled, Sakura?" His tenor dripped with humour, voice smooth and luxuriously deep and raising the hairs all over her body with pinpricks of heat that defied the cold air around them.

It took her a few moments to fully register his words, but when they finally sunk in, her cheeks burst alight with colour, and she wrapped her arms around her breasts with a haste that ripped a chuckle from Sasuke's throat.

"T-Th-That—I mean—oh god—" Sakura babbled inanely, green eyes staring very fixedly at the ground at her feet and giving her an eyeful of her exposed skin in the process.

Naruto watched their interaction with a shit-eating grin on his face, eyes sparkling with mirth as he stepped in stride with the two of them.

"As much as I love seeing the two of you making googly eyes at each other—which by the way is fucking gross—we kinda have a mission to complete here. So if you're done, let's get down to business 'ttebayo." His gravelly tone dripped with barely suppressed hilarity, and he gave them both a salacious once over before he fixed his attentions elsewhere.

"And now that the rest of us have arrived, we should get cracking."

"The only reason we were late is because you and Sasuke have an unfair advantage over us. It's not like we can teleport, y'know."

Sakura stepped around Sasuke's much larger frame—she had to stop herself from admiring just how much he had grown in his absence with an internal berating directed at her Inner—and caught sight of a tall head of white hair, followed by an even taller man with soft ginger locks. Suigetsu's pointed shark teeth peeked out between thin lips that wore a smirk, whilst Juugo's expression was as stoic and collected as always. Between the two of them stood a much shorter companion, one who summoned a bright smile to the pinkette's face with an immediacy that did not go unnoticed by the men around her.

"Karin! I didn't expect to see you here! It's wonderful to have a little female power to back me up!" Her tone was infectiously joyous, as said redhead's features lit up considerably, and she made a point of shoving past a snarky Suigetsu in order to make her way over to the threesome across from her.

"Well I wasn't about to let these idiots watch your back in any shape or form without suitable supervision. They—and I mean everyone but Sasuke of course—would more or less be too focused on _ogling_ the goods rather than _protecting_ them." The redhead sniffed with a casual ease that summoned a laugh from the pinkette; even as the rowdier of the three men in question barked out offended curses in response to Karin's less than complimentary jab at their characters.

Sasuke merely exhaled softly, emitting a breathy chuckle that summoned a pleasant coil of resonant warmth in Sakura's tummy.

"I definitely don't disagree with you there, although I can personally vouch for Juugo's integrity. He at least is a useful asset to the group. You know, because he can keep his attentions on the larger goal at hand. The other two…? Well, you hit the nail on the head there." Sakura said with a malicious smile their way, viridian irises glowing eerily in the fluorescent lighting that filtered out into the darkness from the club behind her; summoning mutual shivers down both men's spines.

"Oh come on, Sakura-chan! Don't lump me in with that shit-for-brains shark-boy! I've got Hinata-chan, and no one else interests me in the slightest—no offence to you okay! You've always been gorgeous, but Hinata-chan is my goddess!" Naruto amended quickly, blue eyes widening in panic at the prospect of being smacked, only to receive a tentative eye-roll in response.

"Yeah, yeah, Naruto. We know already. But as you so tactlessly inferred earlier, we have a job to do, and since you're all here now, we should probably hop to it. I'd like to be home tomorrow, thank you very much." Sakura proffered smoothly, ignoring the sickening lurch in her stomach and the mounting nervousness that filled her with Sasuke standing so close to her—it was bad enough with clothes _on_, let alone _without_.

She made a point of directing them a little further away, into a narrow alleyway that gave them an adequate view of the comings and goings of the business and enough distance to speak quietly without being heard.

"So before you perverts—I'm looking at you, Suigetsu, Naruto, and _don't look at me like that_ because I know you better than anyone you nimrod—make any half-assed assumptions about me leaving my station as a kunoichi to become a hooker or an escort; I am here to tell you that that is a crock of shit." Sakura started with a pointed glare their way, catching the white haired ninja eyeing her off a little too closely for comfort as Naruto quailed and stepped a little further behind Sasuke with the sudden intensity in his pink haired friend's tone.

"Kaka—I mean Hokage-sama sent me undercover on an S ranked mission to infiltrate an establishment that has rumoured connections with the underground nukenin that went into hiding after the war ended. They've been said to have been kidnapping young teenage women from little border towns out of the jurisdiction of the Five Hidden Villages for months now, and selling them on the black market to seedy establishments such as this one. Only Icha-cha, this wonderfully disgusting building behind us, has all of the makings of being the ringleader faction handling these dealings." Sakura paused for a moment, allowing the information to fully sink in as various degrees of horror and plain disdain flickered across her companions faces.

She had reacted the same way, and it was on her insistence that Kakashi had sent her here to unravel the operation from within.

"So essentially we need to pose as potential buyers by enacting a scenario that will force their hand?" Sasuke proposed astutely, dark eye calculating as an idea flickered through its depths. Sakura could practically see the cogs turning over in his head, and it was deeply impressive to witness up close. He really hadn't changed. Still as sharp as ever.

Sakura nodded tersely in his direction, expression carefully schooled into neutrality so as to bely her internal flailing. She was still as exposed as ever, but in the darkness of the alley she felt herself ease up in relief. For now, no one could stare too intently at her near-nudity whilst she wasn't holding up the pretence of being a stripper, and she could deal with it knowing that now they were all business.

"Mm. You'll have to make a big entrance, something for the owner to kick up a fuss about. As it stands, I've curried enough favour with the patrons that I'm a top-class act here, so I suppose it'll be a matter of aiming higher than every other buyer." When Naruto's head dropped to the side in confusion, Sakura slapped a hand to her forehead, rolling her eyes into the back of her skull as Karin elbowed him pointedly in the ribs.

"God, you're almost as stupid as Shark-Bait over there, which is terrifying to ponder upon. What she's saying is that posing as a high-roller, someone with a hell of a lot of cash to throw about in people's faces and flaunt to no end, is the best way to signal to the culpable parties that a potential buyer has arrived on the black market scene for the kidnapped girls. If someone is willing to spend an exorbitant amount on _one_ dancer for the duration of an _evening_, then obviously they'd be ideal for buying a more _permanent_ substitute. It's called scouting the highest bidder, you idiot." Karin seethed imperiously, making sure he had listened to every word that left her lips with a twist of his hip bone between her fingers.

The blonde yelped loudly, cutting off into a whimper as Sakura slapped her hand over his mouth and hushed him, green eyes searching their surroundings for any sign that they had been seen.

Thankfully they hadn't been.

As if reading her thoughts, Sasuke allowed his right arm to slowly fall to his side, hand no longer hovering over the hilt of his sword as he shifted his stance and leaned back against the nearest wall. Being in such an enclosed space meant that everything was too close for comfort, unfortunately, and so the pink haired medical ninja had to deal with the coarse fabric of his cloak brushing up against her naked side like a mocking whisper of the touch she really wanted from him.

"Thanks, Karin. It's as she said, Naruto. In order to lure them out and garner the proof we need, we need to close the deal by introducing a prospect that they simply can't refuse. Takeshi Ryu, the not so cultured owner of this sickening little hovel, is involved in this somehow and it's our job to prove it and nail his ass for his crimes. There are girls that need to be reunited with their families again. We don't need any more dead bodies turning up downstream of our villages or tears to be shed by the parents of those girls when we can put a stop to this once and for all. There isn't any room for error here, or they all die. Takeshi will see to that himself, should he sense something is amiss. So… any questions, or are we good to go?" Sakura finished with a voice steeled with resolve, and everyone shifted their postures in the affirmative.

They were ready.

* * *

How did this happen again?

Oh yes, when Sasuke had come in posing as the highest bidder in their little plot against Takeshi Ryu and his undercover syndicate of drug trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping and murder. Consorting with nukenin was the very least of his problems right now.

Obviously the raven haired Uchiha had been the smartest choice for the role. Firstly, he was from an affluently (formerly) wealthy family whose assets had been unfrozen and deposited to him at his own leisure after the war had ended. Money was the most important factor in the decision, and him being casually loaded made things a lot easier on them all. And it wasn't as if he wouldn't be getting it all back after this was over anyways. Once the underground syndicate had been thoroughly busted, everything would be returned to their rightful owners with interest.

Takeshi definitely had enough to go around a million-fold.

Secondly, he had prestige. Being both an Uchiha and one of the heroes of the war had allowed him a lot of leeway in the wake of his former crimes, and even though he wasn't necessarily here posing as "himself," he could draw from those experiences and use them to his advantage here. Luckily for him, the only ones who were keenly aware of who he was were shinobi, and since this was mostly a civilian establishment, he could slip under the radar as himself with few hiccups to hinder him (those problems would be promptly taken care of thanks to Suigetsu and Karin, who had taken to the shadows to use sensory perception and assassination in sync with each other, much to their collective displeasure with drawing the short-straw.)

Naruto and Juugo were acting as the self-professed "bodyguard entourage," which was one of the biggest factors that led to them being noticed almost immediately the second they had walked through the front doors.

Thirdly, and most superfluously, Sasuke was the face of the group. He radiated sex appeal and aloof indifference in a way that none of the other men could ever begin to emulate, and the combination was practically toxic to the greedier-than-thou Takeshi Ryu, who could barely hold himself back from throwing himself at Sasuke's feet in total supplication to his every need.

"Kurumi-chan! Fetch our lovely little blossom for Uchiha-sama! He will get nothing but the best service—_hurry the fuck up_!" Ryu, a man in his early thirties, far shorter than the imposing Sasuke and built like a wire fence, spat vehemently, all smiles as he led the taller man to the best seats in the house as planned.

Now Sakura had anticipated one of the true stars of the night to be called over to his table—and she couldn't help the stirrings of jealousy brewing stormily in her gut at the mere thought of it conspiring within her line of sight.

It was protocol that the oldest and most experienced dancer, who was only just shy of thirty as is, be summoned, but when the little serving girl Kurumi (cute as a button, but incredibly naïve) practically dragged the pinkette from her current customer across the room to where he was sitting, Sakura swore she was going to have a heart attack and die on the spot. There was no way in hell she could perform like that for him. It was debasing enough taking her flimsy brassiere off for complete strangers, but she had had the added comfort of knowing that she would never see them again after this.

Sasuke she saw every fucking night when she closed her eyes to sleep, and in every waking hour he was back in Konoha for. She couldn't bear the mortification of stripping for the man she had professed her love for countless times before, much less giving him a lap dance.

Unfortunately, the Gods above—if there were any up there in her eyes after this stunt—had a malicious sense of humour, for the divine karma that was being dished out to her for her internalised envy was sickeningly close to one of her worst nightmares actualised.

Sakura's mouth was painfully dry. So dry in fact, that she thought that it would spread throughout her entire body, sucking the moisture right out of her. To say she was nervous would be a gross understatement. What she was feeling was beyond mortification—like she had been split open down the middle for all to view her at her most exposed, her most vulnerable, moment. If she were to equate it to a torture scenario, then it would be something close to someone rubbing a cheese grater against every single nerve ending in her body down to the marrow in her bones.

And as she shuffled somewhat meekly into the near vicinity of her renegade love, the pink haired kunoichi could only bite down on her full bottom lip to stave off her sudden urge to puke all over _Takeshi-dono's_ expensive leather shoes.

Bought with his blood money, no doubt.

Sasuke's mismatching irises rose from his indifferent staring match with the floor when he noted the familiar scent of mint and green tea wafting towards him, and an unexpected coil of heat unfurled in his stomach. Something scarily unfamiliar and achingly close to desire that it rose his hackles; even as he took in the scantily clad pinkette in all of her vivacious glory before him. He had to admire her conviction. Not a shred of her inner turmoil showed on her face. She was purely professional, even though her brilliant green eyes shone with utter panic at the prospect of serving him in such an unsightly manner.

It left Sasuke feeling a little displaced, stooped in an awkwardness that he had to make a genuine effort to disguise behind aloof appraisal.

Something hot and completely foreign flickered beneath the obsidian lustre of the raven haired Uchiha's darker than black iris, and Sakura couldn't help but be consumed by the fire dancing in those enigmatic eyes.

Takeshi Ryu, the dirty scumbag that he was, took in every wonton dip of exposed flesh that he could with his trademark seedy, calculating gaze, thin lips parting with something akin to perverted delight as he lay a possessive hand over her closest shoulder. Skin prickling like it had been shocked with electricity, Sakura was quick to shirk off his touch with a practiced sultry smile on her lips. Her expression was downright playful, belying her inner urge to smash his face into the pavement outside, as she pointed a finger towards the sign hanging up over the bar across the room from them.

It read in big, bold lettering: HANDS OFF THE GOODS. TOUCHING IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

"It would be unwise to allow the patrons to think that getting a little frisky in the middle of our performances is acceptable, sir." Sakura simpered sweetly, adjusting her posture into one that was passively suggestive—enough so that she had him eating out of the palm of her hand with an immediacy that brought an intriguing smirk to Sasuke's handsome face.

"Why yes, of course. Silly me. I must apologise, Hana-chan. That was my mistake." Takeshi responded curtly, an eerie smile floating about his lips and making Sakura increasingly uncomfortable the more he eyed her off.

Sasuke cleared his throat rather brusquely, dispersing the lingering tension between them and pulling them both back to the matter at hand.

Well fuck.

As if remembering himself, Takeshi bowed most exaggeratingly and reverently in Sasuke's direction, gesturing at Sakura to "do what she does best" with a very pointed glare in her direction before he blessedly made himself sparse. The pinkette swallowed, cheeks a little pinker as the music changed over to her signature dance track. She cast a glance over her shoulder, noting that two of her dancer acquaintances—the curvaceous Minami and the newbie Sayako—were sauntering past her table wearing equally salacious smirks on their pretty faces.

"Knock him dead, gorgeous!" Minami, the taller and vastly more experienced of the three women, called out over the obnoxiously loud music with a naughty thumb's up her way.

"You're _so_ lucky, Hana-chan! Why do you get all the hot ones while we're stuck shaking ass for crusty old fucks?" Sayako, easily the youngest and the smallest of all of the girls working the Icha-cha circuit, wailed despairingly, bright amber eyes lingering mournfully on Sakura's table-full of "hot men" as she made her way over to her next customer with a defeated slouch to her petite posture.

If they had been any other men, Sakura would have merely laughed it off and bantered good-naturedly in response, but in that moment true fear and apprehension had set in.

"Save some of that for us, Hana. You shouldn't have all the fun, especially not with a man as fine as that one." Minami called over her shoulder, chin jutting out towards Sasuke as she sent a foxy smile his way.

Sakura was hardly surprised. He was practically sex incarnate, and in a place like this where sexuality was to be fully exploited for shits and giggles, it wasn't at all a shock to see his perpetual effect on those of the fairer sex up close and personal. As she was about to get with him for the next… however long this session was going to last.

Good lord she needed a fucking drink.

To Sasuke's absolute credit, he didn't even give the other women a second glance, his attentions solely fixed to Sakura as she exhaled shakily and steeled her nerve once and for all.

She had to make this good, convincing in every way. Not just for the sake of keeping up appearances, but to also satisfy the tiniest part of her that was _curious_ about how Sasuke would react to her giving him a very flattering _close and personal_ look at her body from every intimate angle imaginable. Sakura sucked in a breath, noting with an internal huff of amusement that Naruto and Juugo had both moved as far away from them as possible, eyes politely averted as she sunk indulgently slowly down onto Sasuke's lap; straddling him with enough space so that the insides of her thighs were just barely kissing the outsides of his.

Neither of them were breaking any rules, because they were just shy of touching, but not quite. Sasuke's expression darkened with something indescribable, and Sakura's tummy flipped viciously with butterflies as he met her jittery irises with endless obsidian and lilac.

"…_Hana_? Was that the best alias you could come up with?" Sasuke murmured softly, so softly that she almost missed the words entirely.

The humour lacing his tone was apparent, however, and there was an almost boyish quality to his features as Sakura began to roll her hips—slowly, oh so slowly, that she could feel the heated grind of her joints flexing with the movement. Heart thundering chaotically beneath her breastbone, the pinkette rolled her eyes with a coy smile lifting the edges of her mouth indefinitely, stretching out against the length of his body and just brushing against the material of his shirt in the insinuation of something incredibly explicit.

Sakura didn't miss the way his breath hitched strangely in his throat as she leaned back, arching her back heavenward as she rocked her hips from side to side astride him. Something akin to pride prickled to life beneath her bared flesh, and a giddy sort of elation filled her to the brim with need.

The need for validation.

The need to prove once and for all that she was no longer the childish little girl he had had to protect as children.

"It's not like I chose it. I came here as _Umi_. It seems Takeshi fancied a more flowery name for me. Ironic, huh?" Sakura whispered breathily, a resonant throb forming between her legs as she slipped away, only to press her practically naked back to his covered front and her ass to his upper thighs.

Okay, so she had broken the rules a little there, but the way his body stiffened under her was worth it; until she realised that it was more likely out of discomfort of having his space invaded so unexpectedly rather than excitement of any kind. He had never taken well to surprises. After all, Sasuke had never been the kind of man to actively pursue ass on his lap, that was for fucking sure.

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun. Please bear with it a little longer. That disgusting little troll is watching us very closely right now, and I really can't afford to fuck this up." Sakura muttered weakly, cheeks reddening under the fluorescent lighting even as she stole a glance at him over her shoulder.

Bent down to the floor and ass in the air was about as debasing as it could possibly get, but Sasuke wore his discomfort well. His expression was feigning casual but detached interest in her gyrating, writhing frame as she worked her way back up and lowered her centre of gravity (how she wished it could have been another kind of centre) upon him once more.

"… Don't apologise for doing your job, _Hana_. You do what you need to do to get it done. That's all there is to it." Sasuke murmured just as quietly, mindful of any potential peeping toms that may or may not have taken notice of the very risqué show she was putting on for his benefit with the use of her pseudonym.

Sakura inclined her head in both a gesture of affirmation and a movement that was synonymous with her slow dancing body, expression a little distracted and more than a bit flustered as things heated up a little more than even she had anticipated.

What she was doing now qualified as something Ino would describe as "dry-humping," otherwise famously known as sex without the mess and without any kind of penetration. Although the way he was burning holes into her soul with those deeply expressive eyes of his… It was as close to physical as it would probably ever get between them.

Never the less, Sakura would take it, for he wasn't looking at anyone else but her in that moment (was too entranced by her to even consider tearing his gaze away), and in a brief moment of insanity, she curled her fingers over his own.

And when he intertwined them within his own and squeezed them against his palm, Sakura's hips ground down a little harder and a hell of a lot faster.

Hissing beneath his breath was all he could do to stave off his sudden and compulsive urge to groan aloud.

* * *

Needless to say, they got the guy. And his entire syndicate in turn.

But that all seemed irrelevant in the wake of her… rather promiscuous display at the club that night three weeks ago. It still haunted her. So much so that she had made it a point to either be with other friends in his presence, or go out of her way to avoid him altogether. He had been so put together and composed even after she had finished rocking her hips into sweet, mind-numbing oblivion on his lap that she was almost tempted to test how cold-blooded he really was.

It wasn't as if she was the most endowed woman on the face of the planet, but she knew that she had grown into a beautiful body all her own, and even if she wasn't his type surely having a flimsily underdressed female working herself into a heated frenzy on top of him had to have elicited some type of effect externally. But no, he was as cool and stoic as ever, and aside from the little noises he made here and there—that Sakura was now convinced was a biological response to stress and discomfort rather than any form of arousal—in the moment, he had been mostly unresponsive to her wily charms.

Being mortified would have been a wonderful price to pay, had he reacted as any normal man under those circumstances.

But then, Sasuke had never been close to normal, circumstantial or otherwise, and that was part of why she loved him.

He respected her too much to allow her lap dance to affect their relationship as teammates, and he carried on as he usually did whenever he managed to catch her with a moment of time to spare. Part of that infuriated her to no end, but then what else did she expect? He must have felt incredibly put off and awkward having her thrusting her body about his so frivolously, job or not, and she had honestly feared that the repercussion of that would be him abruptly leaving the village. And he _had_, but only for the last couple of days on an envoy mission from Kakashi to Suna. He was due back today. Sighing, Sakura swallowed the growing lump in her throat, vivid green eyes skittering with nerves as she waited by the village gates; eyes scouring the busy horizon for any sign of that familiar stature in the distance.

So it came as a huge shock to her system when a brief disturbance of dead leaves shifted about her frame, before a familiar warmth spread across her thinly clothed back and raised the hairs all over her body.

"Sakura." Sasuke greeted apathetically, something akin to amusement dancing on his handsome features as said woman spun on her heel to face him.

Her surprise was palpable, for her mouth hung for a moment in torturous suspension before a vibrant, if not slightly cowed, smile lit up the planes of her face beautifully.

"Welcome home, Sasuke-kun! I take it that it was an easy mission?" She babbled the usual spiel emphatically, an underlying nervousness unrelated to his general presence permeating into her stature itself as she stood a little more defensively in front of him.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that. She was acting unusually skittishly today, more so than what he had conceived as normal for her. Before he could respond, Sakura had tugged on his cloak, meandering down the pathway as she led him down the streets to the Hokage Mansion, her idle chatter not ceasing as he contented himself with just listening to her sweet little rants about nothing in particular. He took comfort in her one-sided banter. It was familiar. It was all her; all Sakura.

It was only when they hit a silent patch, barren of prying eyes, that she suddenly pulled to an abrupt stop, Sasuke's natural reflexes conditioning him to survey their surroundings to make sure he hadn't missed any plausible threats to them. When he found none, his dark eye narrowed in on her, his expression openly concerned as he watched her toy with the front of her thin cotton sweater.

"… Sakura? What is it?" His tone was mild, but his concern was clearly evident, and as she met his gaze with shy eyes, her posture curling in on itself the more intently he looked at her, it became painfully apparent what was bothering her so intensely.

He had noted her extended and oftentimes intentional absences from his day to day life since returning to Konoha, and he assumed it was because she was just busy with work to begin with. That all changed when she blatantly refused to meet his eyes or speak with him without an escort at all times. He initially assumed that she was pulling away out of indifference, but clearly it was anything but.

"… I… ugh… I know it was work, a-and that I've said it already, b-but I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. F-For, well, you know… Thank you for tolerating what I did to you so well. I know it must have been… very unpleasant to deal with…" Sakura's voice petered out into a frail, dying whisper, her cheeks so pink she could put a cherry to shame.

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction, expression absolutely incredulous, before his lips twitched into a roguish grin that dropped a heated ball of molten lava in her gut in response. A breathy chuckle left him then, his eyes crinkling with barely suppressed mirth as he reached out and brushed her pink locks behind her ear with his sole hand—before he buried it in the thick tresses and locked her in place before him. He moved in a little closer, allowing her to absorb just how small she was in comparison to his imposing figure.

He held her stare with sooty black and lavender irises that could melt the chrome right off of the new apartment complexes atop the Hokage mountain, and she sucked in a harsh pull of air when she remembered that she needed to breathe in order to not faint on the spot from oxygen deprivation.

"_That's_ what's been bothering you all this time?"

At her meek nod of affirmation, Sasuke huffed out a laugh, shaking his head in exasperation as he fixed her with a very pointed, very suggestive stare.

"I'll set the record straight then. What you did to me? _No man_ _on earth_ would have minded, much less merely _tolerated_ it, Sakura." His tone was rich with humour, of course, but there was a tentative note of—dare she even think it—lingering admiration and awe in his voice that had her insides liquefying into nothingness.

"I'm not as impervious to you and your charms as you seem to believe, and I would very much like to prove that to you. If you'll have me."

It sounded almost like a promise of more to come to her startled ears, and oh how right she was.

* * *

_"__Sakura. Something on your mind?"_

_"__Hm. I was reminiscing."_

_"… __About?"_

_"__Your first lap dance."_

_"… __Care to take another trip down memory lane?"_

_Careless, happy laughter fills the din, and Sasuke, with warmth._

* * *

**Ending Remarks:** _Look at me and my writer's block pumping out a decent length chapter. Go me. _

_If it sounds like a bunch of claptrap; it is. Sue me. _

_Please consider leaving a review. _

_Until next time (the second part for Wedding will come next, rest assured!)_

-x-**R** _i _n-x-


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